§ 20-22-303 — Public nuisance - Duty to extinguish

(a) Any fire on any forested, cut-over, brushlands, or grasslands burning uncontrolled is declared a public nuisance by reason of its menace to life or property. (b) (1) Any person, firm, or corporation responsible for either the starting or the existing of such a fire is required to control or extinguish it immediately, and, if the person, firm, or corporation shall refuse, neglect, or fail to do so, the Arkansas Forestry Commission and any other organized fire suppression force may summarily abate the nuisance thus constituted by controlling or extinguishing the fire. The person, firm, or corporation responsible for the fire shall be liable for payment of all reasonable costs and expenses incurred in suppressing the fire. (2) Should the costs and expenses of suppression not be paid within ninety (90) days of the invoice date, then the costs shall be recoverable by civil action.

Legislative History

Acts 1935, No. 85, § 3; Pope's Dig., § 3051; Acts 1981, No. 845, § 4; A.S.A. 1947, § 41-1953.