State v. Loertscher

In this lawsuit the state of Washington is suing two individuals, a landowner and a logging operator, to recoup $10,512.02 in fire fighting costs incurred by the state in suppressing a 156-acre fire on timberland located in Mason County. The claim of the state is based solely on provisions of the slash statute, RCW 76.04.370, which reads:

“Any land in the state covered wholly or in part by inflammable debris created by logging or other forest operations, land clearing, or right of way clearing and which by reason of such condition is likely to further the spread of fire and thereby endanger…