Minnesota § 609.5641 WILDFIRE ARSON

Minnesota Statutes

§ 609.5641 — WILDFIRE ARSON

Minnesota § 609.5641

PartCRIMES; EXPUNGEMENT; VICTIMS

Ch. 609CRIMINAL CODE

This text of Minnesota § 609.5641 (WILDFIRE ARSON) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Minn. Stat. § 609.5641 (2026).

Text

Subdivision 1.Setting wildfires. A person who intentionally sets a fire to burn out of control on land of another containing timber, underbrush, grass, or other vegetative combustible material is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 1a. Subd. 1a.Penalty; felonies.

(a)Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), a person who violates subdivision 1 may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

(b)A person who violates subdivision 1 where the fire threatens to damage or damages in excess of five buildings or dwellings, burns 500 acres or more, or damages crops in excess of $100,000, may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more

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Subdivision 1.Setting wildfires.
A person who intentionally sets a fire to burn out of control on land of another containing timber, underbrush, grass, or other vegetative combustible material is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 1a.

Subd. 1a.Penalty; felonies.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), a person who violates subdivision 1 may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.
(b) A person who violates subdivision 1 where the fire threatens to damage or damages in excess of five buildings or dwellings, burns 500 acres or more, or damages crops in excess of $100,000, may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $15,000, or both.
(c) A person who violates subdivision 1 where the fire threatens to damage or damages in excess of 100 buildings or dwellings, burns 1,500 acres or more, or damages crops in excess of $250,000, may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 20 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $25,000, or both.
(d) A person who violates subdivision 1 where the fire causes another person to suffer demonstrable bodily harm may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of $15,000, or both.
(e) For purposes of this section, a building or dwelling is threatened when there is a probability of damage to the building or dwelling requiring evacuation for safety of life.

Subd. 2.Possession of flammables to set wildfires.
A person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor who possesses a flammable, explosive, or incendiary device, substance, or material with intent to use the device, substance, or material to violate subdivision 1.

Subd. 3.Restitution.
In addition to the sentence otherwise authorized, the court may order a person who is convicted of violating this section to pay fire suppression costs, damages to the owner of the damaged land, costs associated with injuries sustained by a member of a municipal or volunteer fire department in the performance of the member's duties, and any other restitution costs allowed under section611A.04.