Date of Adoption: July 1, 1999.

Purpose: Establish regions of extra fire hazard which are closed to entry due to the high fire risk.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: [RCW 76.04.305.]

Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

Reasons for this Finding: Certain areas of the state are particularly exposed to fire danger due to the high fire risk. In order to prevent a fire from starting whereby lives and property would be at risk, it is necessary to post these lands as closed to entry.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New [1], Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

July 1, 1999

Charles Baum

Department Supervisor

COWLITZ COUNTY: Township 10 North, Range 1 West, W.M: Section 11 parts E1/2 NW1/4, parts NE1/4, parts E1/2 SE1/4.

When in the opinion of the Regional Manager, the fire hazard is sufficiently low on the lands herein described to permit public access thereto, he/she may suspend this Notice by issuing a news release to the newspapers of general circulation in the Region and to radio and television stations serving the Region, specifying the date and time of the suspension and by removing the posted notice of the hazardous area closure at the access points.

When, in the opinion of the Regional Manager, the fire hazard is no longer sufficiently low to permit public access to the above-described lands, he/she will reinstate this hazardous area notice by giving the same notice to the public, specifying the date and time this notice again becomes effective, and replacing the posted notice of the hazardous area closure at the access points.

For protection of the above described areas against fire, the following rule will be enforced:

"Entry into this area is prohibited except as provided by law with reference to permanent residents and industrial operations."

Anyone violating any such rules and regulations or order closing any forest region shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Effective tentatively midnight Thursday, July 1, 1998 to midnight Friday, October 15, 1999.

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Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

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