ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5198

Passed Legislature - 2017 Regular Session


State of Washington	65th Legislature	2017 Regular Session

By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Becker, Warnick, Fain, Bailey, and Brown)

READ FIRST TIME 02/24/17.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the record 2015 fire season saw over one million acres burned across the state. The legislature further finds that in addition to the devastating effect on our land and economy, wildfires destroyed four hundred ninety-nine structures, including three hundred seven primary residences, twenty-one commercial structures, and one hundred seventy-seven outbuildings. The legislature finds that the state must employ the best firefighting techniques, products, and technologies to prevent the unnecessary destruction of structures during future wildfire incidents.

(2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, by December 31, 2017, the department of natural resources must report the following to the legislature:

(b) An overview of the department's criteria in determining when, where, and how to apply long-term fire retardants, foams, and gels;

(c) A list of each instance the department has used long-term fire retardants, foams, and gels in fire suppression activities in the last three years;

(d) A description of public outreach and education activities the department has conducted relating to the use of foams or gels to protect structures during wildfire incidents, if any;

(e) An analysis of national fire suppression best practices relating to the use of long-term fire retardants, foams, and gels;

(f) An examination of how to update the department's policy on the use of long-term fire retardants, foams, and gels to match the best practices identified in (e) of this subsection;

(g) An analysis of relevant material safety data sheets and impacts to human health, and natural resources, including forests, from long-term fire retardants, foams, and gels; and