Facilities for protection against forest fire shall be available as follows:

1. In fire towns. The department, for the prevention of forest fires and the extinguishment of fires burning or threatening forests, shall, in the fire towns defined in section 9-1107, maintain an approved fire protection system, including fire observation stations and other equipment necessary to prevent and extinguish forest fires.

2. In forest fire districts. The department may establish a forest fire protective system in such other parts of the state as it may deem necessary. In such regions the department may maintain an approved fire protection system, including fire observation stations and other equipment necessary to prevent and extinguish forest fires.