(a) State forest fire control personnel and district and deputy fire wardens shall, under the supervision of the State Forest Fire Warden, use all necessary means to prevent and extinguish forest fires.
(b) Such state forest fire control personnel shall assist the fire chief or the fire officer-in-charge in the control and direction of all persons and apparatus while engaged in extinguishing forest fires in their respective districts, or in other districts under the instructions of the State Forest Fire Warden.
(c) Such state forest fire control personnel and fire wardens may destroy fences, plow land or, in an emergency, close roads, with or without detours, and set backfires to hasten the control of any fire.
(d) If the state forest fire warden determines that additional state forest fire control personnel are required to assist in extinguishing a forest fire in this state, the state forest fire warden may temporarily supplement state forest fire control personnel with temporary emergency workers who meet the training and qualification requirements of the National Incident Management System: Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide published by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, as amended from time to time. The Department of Administrative Services shall assist the state fire warden in developing appropriate classifications for such temporary emergency workers.
(e) No action for trespass shall lie against any person crossing or working upon lands of another to extinguish fire or for investigation thereof.
(1949 Rev., S. 3477; 1949, S. 1877d; P.A. 74-83, S. 2; P.A. 81-354, S. 3, 4; P.A. 96-180, S. 88, 166; P.A. 00-99, S. 67, 154; P.A. 01-150, S. 7; P.A. 19-37, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 74-83 allowed summons of any resident qualified with regard to age for fire-fighting duties, rather than any “male” resident in Subsec. (d); P.A. 81-354 changed title of forest rangers to state forest fire control personnel; P.A. 96-180 deleted obsolete Subsec. (g), which had empowered district fire wardens to collect expenses incurred in fire extinguishing for state, effective June 3, 1996; P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to powers of deputy sheriff in Subsec. (f), effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 01-150 deleted reference to state forest fire control personnel and district and deputy fire wardens enforcing all statutes for the protection of forest and timber land from fire from Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (b) to require state forest fire control personnel to assist the fire chief or fire officer-in-charge, amended Subsec. (d) by substituting “equipment” for “horses” and “wagons” in extinguishing fires, increased the fine for failing to assist or interfering in the containment of a fire to $200 and deleted Subsec. (f) concerning the arrest powers of state forest fire control personnel; P.A. 19-37 deleted Subsec. (d) re authority of state forest fire control personnel to summon residents to assist in extinguishing fires and use equipment, motor vehicles and other property for such purpose, added new Subsec. (d) re authority of state forest fire warden to supplement personnel with temporary emergency workers and development of appropriate classifications for temporary emergency workers, effective July 1, 2019.