(1)  The Commission may, of its own motion or at the request of the owner or occupier of an area of land, by notice published in the Gazette and in a daily newspaper published in the State that circulates in that part of the State to which the notice relates, declare that area of land to be an area of extreme fire hazard.

(2)  Where a notice under subsection (1) is in force, a person must not, except in the exercise of a power or authority conferred on that person by this Act, enter an area of land to which the notice relates without first obtaining a permit for that purpose from a brigade chief or other officer of the Fire Service.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 26 penalty units.

(3)  Where the whole or any part of a State forest, or any Crown land, is included within the boundaries of an area of land to which a notice under subsection (1) relates, the powers conferred on a brigade chief or other officer of the Fire Service by subsection (2) are exercisable also by a forest officer.

(4)  The existence of a notice under subsection (1) does not prevent –

(a) the entry onto land vested in, or occupied by, the Hydro-Electric Corporation by any person acting in the course of his employment with, or acting with the authority of, the Hydro-Electric Corporation; or

(b) the entry onto any reserved land as defined in the Nature Conservation Act 2002 by any person acting in the course of his duties as an employee employed in the responsible Department in relation to the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 or with the authority of the Director of National Parks and Wildlife.