Bill > SB5491

This bill establishes a prescribed fire claims fund pilot program to address Washington state's forest health crisis and reduce wildfire risks. The legislature recognizes that prescribed burning and cultural burning are effective tools for managing forest landscapes, but liability concerns have deterred their use. The pilot program, to be administered by the Office of Risk Management in consultation with the state department, will provide financial coverage for losses resulting from prescribed fires and cultural burns conducted by various entities such as cultural fire practitioners, private landowners, conservation districts, and certified burn managers. To be eligible for reimbursement, claims must result from fires conducted by certified burn managers under approved burn plans or by cultural fire practitioners, and must relate to property or economic damage. The program will reimburse eligible claims up to $2,000,000 per claim, subject to available funding, and aims to decrease uncertainty around conducting these regulated burns. The prescribed fire claims account will be created in the state treasury, with any remaining funds to be deposited in the natural climate solutions account when the program expires on June 30, 2033. The bill also amends existing law to allow the risk management administration account to support the administration of this pilot program, and it takes effect immediately due to its importance for public safety and forest management.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5491&Year=2025&Initiative=false