Whenever sixty percent of the freeholders residing in any rural territory, equivalent in area to one township or more, elects to form, organize, establish, equip, and maintain a rural fire protection district, they shall signify such intention by presenting to the county auditor of the county or counties in which such territory is situated, a petition setting forth the desires and purposes of such petitioners. Such petition must contain the full names and post-office addresses of such petitioners; the suggested name of the proposed district, the area in square miles [kilometers] to be included therein, and a complete description according to government survey, wherever possible, of the boundaries of the real properties intended to be embraced in the proposed rural fire protection district. The petitioners shall also present to the county auditor a plat or map showing the suggested boundaries of the proposed district and shall deposit with the county auditor a sum sufficient to defray the expense of publishing the notices required by sections 18-10-02 and 18-10-03. Provided, further, that any city located within the area, whether such city has a fire department or not, may be included in the rural fire district if sixty percent or more of the qualified electors residing therein sign such petition.