HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6397

As Amended by the House

BYSenators Barr and Rasmussen

Revising provisions relating to forest fires.

House Committe on Natural Resources

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (15)

      Signed by Representatives Sutherland, Chair; K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Amondson, Beck, Bumgarner, Butterfield, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Hargrove, Haugen, Meyers, Sayan, Spanel and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for preventing and suppressing fires on state and private forest land.  The DNR's mandate is to suppress forest fires.  This mandate includes all activities involved in the containment and control of forest fires including patrolling such fires until they are extinguished and pose no further threat to life or property.  This mandate does not extend to structure fire suppression.

The DNR has found that although they do not fight structural fires, forest fires in areas with residential development cause additional burdens and costs to fire suppression activities.

SUMMARY:

The first priority of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forest fire fighting crews is to extinguish a forest fire.  The crews shall secondarily ascertain the necessity of removing individuals or property from the area of the fire.  The DNR crews may assist those in immediate danger.

Natural Resources is directed to develop procedures which will allow the Department and other fire fighting bodies to jointly redefine areas of geographic responsibility.  By mutual agreement, the fire fighting bodies will identify the boundaries of fire protection zones where the Department shall have responsibility for fighting forest fires.  Forest land excluded from the fire protection zone will not be charged a forest protection assessment by the Department.  Until such time as the boundaries of a forest protection zone are established, the landowner will continue to pay the forest protection assessment.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Senator Barr, Prime Sponsor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill is needed to give the DNR clear priorities in fighting fires.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.