Section 477.161 - Fire protection for lands outside forest protection districts(1) The State Forester, in collaboration with the State Fire Marshal, state agencies and local governments as defined in ORS 174.116, shall adopt rules establishing baseline levels of wildfire protection for lands that are outside of forest protection districts and susceptible to wildfire. When establishing the baseline levels for lands, the State Forester shall ensure that the levels are adapted to reflect regional conditions. A county, in collaboration with the State Forester and the State Fire Marshal, may work to ensure that all lands within the county that are outside of forest protection districts and susceptible to wildfire are provided with wildfire protection services at the applicable baseline level or a higher level. As used in this subsection, "forest protection districts" means lands designated in State Forester rules as provided under ORS 477.225.(2) A county, in collaboration with the State Forester and the State Fire Marshal, may assist: (a) Landowners, individuals and businesses with forming jurisdictions to provide wildfire protection;(b) Landowners, individuals, businesses and jurisdictions with obtaining expansion of or other changes to boundaries or facility locations of jurisdictions that provide wildfire protection;(c) Jurisdictions to expand or adjust jurisdiction service boundaries to ensure adequate wildfire protection for lands; and(d) Jurisdictions in developing wildfire protection facilities, equipment, training and other resources adequate to ensure that the jurisdiction provides timely and effective wildfire protection at the baseline level or higher on lands described in subsection (1) of this section throughout the jurisdiction.(3) The State Forester may provide financial assistance to counties for carrying out county duties under subsection (2) of this section from any funds made available to the State Forester and designated for that purpose. See note under 477.150.
Section 29, chapter 592, Oregon Laws 2021, provides:
Sec. 29. A county shall ensure no later than January 1, 2026, that all lands described in section 28 (1) of this 2021 Act [477.161 (1)] within the county have baseline level or higher wildfire protection as described in section 28 of this 2021 Act. [2021 c. 592, § 29]