S-3518               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6241

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Warnke and Anderson

Read first time 1/15/88 and referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to the closure of forest lands; and amending RCW 76.04.325.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 23, chapter 100, Laws of 1986 and RCW 76.04.325 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) When in the opinion of the department weather conditions arise which present an extreme fire hazard, whereby life and property may be endangered, the department may issue an order shutting down all logging, land clearing, or other industrial operations which may cause a fire to start.  The shutdown shall be for the periods and regions designated in the order.  During shutdowns, all persons are excluded from logging operating areas ((and)), areas of logging slash, and specific regions closed to logging, land clearing, or other industrial operations, except those present in the interest of fire protection.   Any region designated as closed to forest operations under this section shall also be designated closed to entry under RCW 76.04.305.

          (2) When in the opinion of the department extreme fire weather exists, whereby forest lands may be endangered, the department may issue an order restricting access to and activities on forest lands.  The order shall describe the regions and extent of restrictions necessary to protect forest lands.  During the period in which the order is in effect, all persons may be excluded from the regions described, except those persons present in the interest of fire protection.

          (3) Each day's violation of an order under this section shall constitute a separate offense.