Ohio Code 1503.141 – Wildfire suppression payments; reimbursement for costs incurred in suppression of fires
(A) As used in this section, “firefighting agency” and “private fire company” have the same meanings as in section 9.60 of the Revised Code.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 1503.141
- agriculture: includes farming; ranching; aquaculture; algaculture meaning the farming of algae; apiculture and related apicultural activities, production of honey, beeswax, honeycomb, and other related products; horticulture; viticulture, winemaking, and related activities; animal husbandry, including, but not limited to, the care and raising of livestock, equine, and fur-bearing animals; poultry husbandry and the production of poultry and poultry products; dairy production; the production of field crops, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees, flowers, sod, or mushrooms; timber; pasturage; any combination of the foregoing; the processing, drying, storage, and marketing of agricultural products when those activities are conducted in conjunction with, but are secondary to, such husbandry or production; and any additions or modifications to the foregoing made by the director of agriculture by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. See Ohio Code 1.61
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
(B) Each fiscal year, the director of natural resources or the director’s designee shall designate not more than two hundred thousand dollars in the state forest fund created in section 1503.05 of the Revised Code for wildfire suppression payments. The amount designated shall consist only of money credited to the fund from the sale of standing timber taken from state forest lands as set forth in that section.
(C) The director or the director’s designee may use money designated for wildfire suppression payments to reimburse firefighting agencies and private fire companies for their costs incurred in the suppression of wildfires in counties within fire protection areas established under section 1503.08 of the Revised Code where there is a state forest or national forest, or portion thereof. The director or the director’s designee may provide such reimbursement in additional counties. The director or the director’s designee shall provide such reimbursement pursuant to agreements and contracts entered into under section 1503.14 of the Revised Code and in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) For wildfire suppression on private land, an initial seventy-dollar payment to the firefighting agency or private fire company;
(2) For wildfire suppression on land under the administration or care of the department of natural resources or on land that is part of any national forest administered by the United States department of agriculture forest service, an initial one-hundred-dollar payment to the firefighting agency or private fire company;
(3) For any wildfire suppression on land specified in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section lasting more than two hours, an additional payment of thirty-five dollars per hour.
(D) For wildfire suppression, prescribed fire assistance, or emergency response support to federal agencies, the division may reimburse costs in addition to the amounts set forth in division (C) of this section provided those costs are eligible in accordance with an agreement under section 1503.27 of the Revised Code.
Last updated August 5, 2021 at 2:36 PM