Biennial general fund appropriations to the department of natural resources normally provide funds for the purpose of paying the emergency fire costs and expenses incurred and/or approved by the department in forest fire suppression or in reacting to any potential forest fire situation. When a determination is made that the fire started in the course of or as a result of a landowner operation, moneys expended from such appropriations in the suppression of the fire shall be recovered from the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account. The department shall transmit to the state treasurer for deposit in the general fund any such moneys which are later recovered. Moneys recovered during the biennium in which they are expended may be spent for purposes set forth in this section during the same biennium, without reappropriation. Loans between the general fund and the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account are authorized for emergency fire suppression. The loans shall not exceed the amount appropriated for emergency forest fire suppression costs and shall bear interest at the then current rate of interest as determined by the state treasurer.

Terms Used In Washington Code 76.04.620

  • Department: means the department of natural resources, or its authorized representatives, as defined in chapter 43. See Washington Code 76.04.005
  • Emergency fire costs: means those costs incurred or approved by the department for emergency forest fire suppression, including the employment of personnel, rental of equipment, and purchase of supplies over and above costs regularly budgeted and provided for nonemergency fire expenses for the biennium in which the costs occur. See Washington Code 76.04.005
  • Landowner operation: means every activity, and supporting activities, of a forestland owner and the landowner's agents, employees, or independent contractors or permittees in the management and use of forestland subject to the forest protection assessment under RCW 76. See Washington Code 76.04.005
  • Suppression: means all activities involved in the containment and control of forest fires, including the patrolling thereof until such fires are extinguished or considered by the department to pose no further threat to life or property. See Washington Code 76.04.005
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