Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall burn any flammable material on or adjacent to forest land without a written permit from the director of the department of environmental management or, his or her authorized representative, on forms prepared and under rules and regulations approved by the director, provided whoever sets or maintains a permit fire shall totally extinguish the permit fire before leaving it and the director, or his or her authorized representative, may cancel or suspend any or all permits, if, in his or her opinion, public necessity requires it. Any person doing any burning on or adjacent to forest land prior to burning operations, and at all times during the continuance of these operations, shall do that work in and around the area in which the burning is done as may be required by the director by rules and regulations promulgated under the authority granted in § 2-12-5. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) nor less than ten dollars ($10.00) or to imprisonment not exceeding thirty (30) days nor less than ten (10) days or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-6