Rangeland fire pilot

AN ACT Relating to a rangeland fire protection association pilot 1
project; adding new sections to chapter 76.04 RCW; creating a new 2
section; and providing expiration dates. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that ranchers, 5
farmers, rural property owners, and others who live and work in the 6
rural areas of our state that are most susceptible to the threat of 7
wildfire are uniquely situated, by virtue of their knowledge of the 8
land and proximity to wildfires, to provide critical initial attack 9
firefighting capabilities.10
(2) Rangeland fire protection associations have the potential to 11
offer a coordinated approach to wildland fire suppression by taking 12
advantage of the quick initial attack capabilities of those already 13
out on the land, addressing the desire of those living and working in 14
wildland areas to be active participants in protecting the places 15
where they live and work, ensuring that all those engaged in the 16
wildland firefighting effort have the necessary training, equipment, 17
and communications capabilities, and supporting the state's efforts 18
to provide a complete, coordinated approach to wildland fire 19
prevention, detection, and suppression. 20
H-0064.2
HOUSE BILL 1048
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Dent, Griffey, and Nance
Prefiled 12/11/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Agriculture & Natural Resources.
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(3) Accordingly, it is the intent of the legislature that the 1
department of natural resources implement a five-year pilot project 2
in eastern Washington in order to assess the effectiveness of 3
rangeland fire protection associations in Washington.4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 5
RCW to read as follows: 6
(1) The department shall conduct a rangeland fire protection 7
association pilot project in order to better assess the measures 8
needed to ensure the safe and effective operation of rangeland fire 9
protection associations. The pilot project must be conducted in the 10
location specified in subsection (4) of this section. The pilot 11
project must be operational by the beginning of calendar year 2026 12
and must conclude at the end of calendar year 2029.13
(2) The operations of rangeland fire protection associations must 14
comply with the requirements established in sections 3 through 5 of 15
this act. In addition, in implementing this pilot project, the 16
department: 17
(a) Shall develop and publish recommendations concerning the 18
formation, management, operation, and training of members of a 19
rangeland fire protection association, including the determination of 20
the safety, administrative, and training requirements that must be 21
met; and 22
(b) Shall, prior to entering into an agreement with a rangeland 23
fire protection association, and at least annually thereafter, review 24
and inspect the rangeland fire protection association for the 25
following: 26
(i) The governance and management structure of the rangeland fire 27
protection association; 28
(ii) The adequacy of liability insurance; and 29
(iii) The training of all rangeland fire protection association 30
personnel. 31
(3) A rangeland fire protection association operating as part of 32
the pilot project authorized by this act may enter into agreements 33
with fire protection service agencies for the detection, prevention, 34
or suppression of fires. Subject to the approval of the department, 35
the fire protection service agency may negotiate the form and content 36
of the agreement. 37
(4) The department shall conduct the rangeland fire protection 38
association pilot project east of the crest of the Cascade mountains.39
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(5) The department shall submit a report on the pilot project as 1
an appendix to the department's annual report to the appropriate 2
committees of the legislature by December 1st of each year. The 3
report must address, at a minimum, the following elements:4
(a) Safety; 5
(b) Training; 6
(c) Funding; 7
(d) Governance; 8
(e) Operations and effectiveness; and 9
(f) Communication and coordination with other fire protection 10
service agencies. 11
(6) This section expires June 30, 2030. 12
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 13
RCW to read as follows: 14
(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout sections 15
2 through 5 of this act unless the context clearly requires 16
otherwise. 17
(a) "Member" means an individual who has been appointed by a 18
rangeland fire protection association to perform fire detection, 19
prevention, and suppression services. 20
(b) "Rangeland fire protection association" means a nonprofit 21
corporation or nonprofit unincorporated association that has entered 22
into an agreement for the detection, prevention, or suppression of 23
wildfires with any agency of the state of Washington or any fire 24
protection service agency. 25
(2) This section applies only to rangeland fire protection 26
associations operating pursuant to the pilot project established in 27
section 2 of this act. No person may form or participate in a 28
rangeland fire protection association except pursuant to the pilot 29
project established in section 2 of this act. 30
(3) This section expires June 30, 2030. 31
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 32
RCW to read as follows: 33
(1) Persons engaged in the detection, prevention, and suppression 34
of wildfires outside of the boundaries of a local, regional, or state 35
fire protection service agency may act together for the mutual 36
benefit of the members and their communities in nonprofit 37
associations or unincorporated associations. Such an association must 38
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include in its name "rangeland fire protection association." Such an 1
association is authorized to enter into agreements with fire 2
protection service agencies, as defined in RCW 52.12.160, for the 3
detection, prevention, or suppression of wildfires.4
(2) The rangeland fire protection association shall identify the 5
physical boundaries within which it will provide detection, 6
prevention, and suppression of wildfire services and resources. The 7
service boundaries of a rangeland fire protection association may be 8
adjacent to department protected lands, as defined in RCW 76.04.005. 9
The operations of a rangeland fire protection association may, on an 10
occasional and temporary basis, extend beyond its boundaries and onto 11
department protected lands for the purpose of attempting to 12
extinguish or control a wildland fire consistent with RCW 76.04.770.13
(3) The rangeland fire protection association must have liability 14
insurance. 15
(4) The provisions of this chapter do not require a person or a 16
person's agent to be a member of a rangeland fire protection 17
association in order to suppress a fire occurring on the person's 18
property or fires that pose a threat to the person's property.19
(5) This section applies only to rangeland fire protection 20
associations operating pursuant to the pilot project established in 21
section 2 of this act. No person may form or participate in a 22
rangeland fire protection association except pursuant to the pilot 23
project established in section 2 of this act. 24
(6) This section expires June 30, 2030. 25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 26
RCW to read as follows: 27
(1) Rangeland fire protection association members must:28
(a) Be at least 18 years old; 29
(b) During all fire suppression activities, use and maintain 30
personal protective equipment that meets published standards of the 31
Washington state department of natural resources or United States 32
bureau of land management as appropriate during wildfire suppression 33
activities; and 34
(c) Have achieved a basic level of wildland fire training. The 35
recommended training for a rangeland fire protection association 36
member participating in wildland fire suppression is training that 37
achieves the level of wildland firefighter 2, as specified in the 38
published standards of the national wildfire coordinating group.39
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(2) The provisions of RCW 76.04.770 apply to members of a 1
rangeland fire protection association. 2
(3) This section applies only to rangeland fire protection 3
associations operating pursuant to the pilot project established in 4
section 2 of this act. No person may form or participate in a 5
rangeland fire protection association except pursuant to the pilot 6
project established in section 2 of this act. 7
(4) This section expires June 30, 2030. 8
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