SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2561

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

Passed Legislature - 2018 Regular Session


State of Washington	65th Legislature	2018 Regular Session

By House Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Dent, Blake, Dye, Doglio, Johnson, Peterson, and Eslick)

READ FIRST TIME 02/02/18.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Subject to amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commissioner of public lands must direct the wildland fire advisory committee established in RCW 76.04.179 to review, analyze, and make recommendations on the following issues related to wild fire prevention, response, and suppression activities within our state:

(a) The committee, with the assistance of department of natural resources' personnel, must approximately quantify the areas in the state that are not contained within an established fire district nor subject to a planned fire response and make recommendations as to how these areas could be protected as well as a source of funding for any recommended activities. In doing so, the committee must, in time for inclusion in the December 31, 2018, status report: Review the relevant recommendations contained in the joint legislative audit and review committee's 2017 final report on fees assessed for forest fire protection; analyze and develop recommendations on potential administrative and legislative actions including, for example, the process proposed in chapter . . . (Substitute Senate Bill No. 6575), Laws of 2018; and consult with any relevant stakeholders, as deemed necessary by the committee, that are not represented on the committee.

(b) The committee must examine the value of community programs that educate homeowners and engage in preventive projects within wild fire risk communities, such as firewise, and make recommendations on whether these programs should be advanced, and if so, how, including potential sources of ongoing funding for the programs.

(c) The committee must also develop plans to help protect non-English speaking residents during wildfire emergencies. The committee may enlist the assistance from the state ethnic and diversity commissions or any other organizations who have expertise in public outreach to non-English speaking people.

(2) The department of natural resources must provide to the appropriate committees of the legislature a status report of the committee's efforts by December 31, 2018, and issue a report with the committee's recommendations by November 15, 2019.