§ 18-01-06 — Fire chiefs and auditors or secretaries of cities and rural fire protection districts must report fires

districts must report fires.
Within thirty days after the occurrence of any fire in which property in a city or rural fire
protection district has been destroyed or damaged, an organization that is contracted by a
political subdivision for fire protection or the fire chief of such city or rural fire protection district, if
a fire department is maintained therein, or the auditor of the city or the secretary of the rural fire
protection district, if a fire department is not maintained therein, shall report the cause, if known,
and the origin and circumstances of the fire and the name of the owner and occupant of such
property, to the state fire marshal. Reports shall be submitted in a form compliant and
compatible with the national emergency response information system, or in a manner
prescribed by the state fire marshal. Such report must show whether such fire was the result of
carelessness, accident, or design. The provisions of this section must be complied with, insofar
as the same are applicable, if the fire is of unknown origin, regardless of the amount of damage
caused thereby.