S-0651.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5257

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Hargrove, Owen, Palmer, A. Anderson and Snyder

Read first time 01/17/95.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Providing for salvage logging and reforesting in areas burned in 1994 fires.

    AN ACT Relating to controlling damage to areas burned in 1994; and adding a new section to chapter 76.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:

    In the summer of 1994, wildfires burned over two hundred eighty thousand acres and included a one hundred thirty-five thousand acre fire in eastern Washington that was Washington's largest fire since 1929.  One of the reasons the fires became so widespread was that dead trees and underbrush had been allowed to accumulate, providing fuel for fires started by lightening strikes.  It is the intent of the legislature to reduce future fire devastation and to ensure the long-term health of the areas that were burned in the 1994 fires.

    The department of natural resources shall develop a plan for salvage logging and reforesting areas burned in the 1994 fires.  The plan shall include proposals to remove damaged and dead trees and excess vegetation and proposals to control flood, mud, and erosion damage.  The plan shall be implemented as soon as possible.

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