(1) During a fire season inside or within one-eighth of one mile of a forest protection district, every operator using power-driven machinery in an operation area shall provide fire watch service on the operation area. The fire watch service shall consist of not less than one competent person, who shall be constantly on duty at times prescribed by rules promulgated by the State Forester. These rules shall require fire watch service at such times and at such places as the spread of fire on or from the operation area to forestland reasonably may be expected.

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 477.665

  • District: means a forest protection district organized under ORS § 477. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Fire season: means a period designated pursuant to ORS § 477. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Forester: means the State Forester or authorized representative. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Forestland: means any woodland, brushland, timberland, grazing land or clearing that, during any time of the year, contains enough forest growth, slashing or vegetation to constitute, in the judgment of the forester, a fire hazard, regardless of how the land is zoned or taxed. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Operation: means any industrial activity, any development or any improvement on forestland inside or within one-eighth of one mile of a forest protection district, including but not limited to the harvesting of forest tree species, the clearing of land, the use of power-driven machinery and the use of fire, excluding, however, the culture and harvesting of agricultural crops. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Operation area: means the area on which an operation is being conducted and the area on which operation activity may have resulted in the ignition of a fire. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Operator: means any person who, either personally or through employees, agents, representatives or contractors, is carrying on or has carried on any operation. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
  • Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100

(2) The forester may modify or waive, in writing, any requirement of this section as to any operation whenever the fire hazard is not sufficient to justify the requirement. [Formerly 477.188; 1967 c.429 § 22; 1969 c.204 § 7; 1997 c.274 § 29; 1999 c.59 § 158]