Effective: September 14, 2016
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 293 - 131st General Assembly
The chief of the division of forestry may appoint forest-fire wardens and forest-fire investigators, whose jurisdiction shall extend over fire protection areas established under section 1503.08 of the Revised Code. Forest-fire investigators shall conduct investigations and gather evidence for purposes of the enforcement of this chapter and sections 2909.02, 2909.03, 2909.06, and 3767.32 of the Revised Code with respect to forest fires in fire protection areas. Any forest-fire warden or forest-fire investigator shall hold office until the warden's or investigator's successor is appointed, but any such warden or investigator may at any time be summarily removed by the chief.
The chief may designate a forest-fire warden as a forest-fire investigator. The chief shall establish a policy for the required training of forest-fire investigators, which shall include successful completion of basic wildland fire suppression training and training as a peace officer. Division (D) of section 1501.24 and section 1501.25 of the Revised Code apply to a forest-fire investigator in the same manner as those provisions of law apply to a natural resources officer. Forest-fire investigators shall have jurisdiction, with permission from the chief, to enter public and private lands.