Chapter 8.08
FIRE PREVENTION
Sections:
8.08.010 Purpose of provisions.
8.08.020 Fire protection district—Created—Boundaries.
8.08.030 Fire protection district—Name.
8.08.040 Powers of county commissioners.
8.08.050 Coordination of fire protection activities with state and federal agencies.
8.08.060 Cooperation with other agencies to prevent and suppress fires in wild lands.
8.08.070 Appointment and duties of fire chief.
8.08.080 Budget, taxes and use of funds.
8.08.090 Prohibited acts—Penalty.
8.08.010 Purpose of provisions.
It is found and declared that the protection of property, public health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the county require the establishment of a fire protection district for the prevention and extinguishment of fires in the unincorporated area within the county, generally located, described and comprising the following: the district lying between one mile south of Airport Road and the Pershing County line south of the city of Winnemucca. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 1)
8.08.020 Fire protection district—Created—Boundaries.
There is created and established in the county a fire protection district in that unincorporated area located, described and generally comprising the following:
A. The district lying between one mile south of Airport Road and the Pershing County line south of the city of Winnemucca containing twelve square miles, more or less, more particularly described as follows:
Township 35 North, Range 37 East, M.D.B.&M.: Sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36.
Township 35 North, Range 38 East, M.D.B.&M.: Sections 30 and 31.
B. The area beginning at the SE corner of Section 31, Township 35 North, Range 37 East, said point being the True Point of Beginning; thence westerly along the line common to Humboldt and Pershing counties to the Southwest corner of Section 33, Township 35 North, Range 36 East; thence northerly approximately nine (9) miles to the Northwest corner of Section 21, Township 36 North, Range 36 East; thence easterly approximately five (5) miles to the Northeast corner of Section 19, Township 36 North, Range 37 East; thence southerly nine (9) miles to the True Point of Beginning.
C. The area beginning at the Northwest corner of Section 28, Township 37 North, Range 38 East, said point being the True Point of Beginning; thence northerly eight (8) miles to the Northwest corner of Section 16, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence easterly approximately two (2) miles to the westerly boundary of United States Highway Route 95 in the Northeast quarter of Section 15, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence southwesterly along United States Highway Route 95 approximately two (2) miles to the common section line of Sections 22 and 27, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence easterly approximately one-half (1/2) mile to the Northeast corner of Section 27, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence southerly one (1) mile to the Southeast corner of Section 27, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence easterly one (1) mile to the Northeast corner of Section 35, Township 38 North, Range 38 East; thence southerly five (5) miles to the Southeast corner of Section 23, Township 37 North, Range 38 East; thence westerly three (3) miles to the True Point of Beginning.
D. The area beginning at the Northeast corner of Section 6, Township 36 North, Range 39 East, said point being the True Point of Beginning; thence easterly three (3) miles to the Northeast corner of Section 3, Township 36 North, Range 39 East; thence southerly two (2) miles to the Southeast corner of Section 10, Township 36 North, Range 39 East; thence westerly three (3) miles to the Southwest corner of Section 8, Township 36 North, Range 39 East; thence northerly two (2) miles to the True Point of Beginning.
(Ord. 12-18-89B § 1; Ord. 3-21-72-A § 2)
8.08.030 Fire protection district—Name.
The fire protection district is designated and known as the Humboldt County fire protection district. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 3)
8.08.040 Powers of county commissioners.
The board of county commissioners shall:
A. Pursuant to the provisions of NRS 474.460, manage and conduct the business and affairs of the county fire protection district;
B. Promulgate and enforce all regulations necessary for the administration and government of the county fire protection district and for the furnishing of fire protection therein;
C. Organize, regulate, establish and disband fire companies, departments or volunteer fire departments for the fire protection district;
D. Provide for the payment of salaries, if any, and as necessary, to personnel of any fire companies or fire departments in the fire protection district;
E. Provide for payment from proper funds established therefor of all the debts and just claims against the fire protection district;
F. Employ agents and employees for the fire protection district sufficient to maintain and operate the property and equipment acquired for the purposes of the district;
G. Acquire real or personal property necessary for the purposes of the district and dispose of the same when no longer needed;
H. Construct, or cause to be constructed, any necessary structures;
I. Acquire, hold and possess, either by donation or purchase, in the name of the county, in behalf of the fire protection district, any lands or other property necessary for the purpose of the district;
J. Eliminate and remove fire hazards from the district wherever practicable and possible, whether on private or public premises, and to that end the board may clear the public highways, and, where permitted, private lands, of dry grass, stubble, brush, rubbish or other inflammable material which, in its judgment constitutes a fire hazard;
K. In order to accomplish the purpose of NRS 474.460 to 475.540, inclusive, perform all other acts necessary, proper and convenient to attain the objects for which the county fire protection district was created and established. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 4)
8.08.050 Coordination of fire protection activities with state and federal agencies.
The board of county commissioners shall coordinate the fire protection activities of the district with the State Forester Fire Warden and the State Board of Forestry and Fire Control, and other state and federal agencies for the prevention and extinguishment of fires. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 5)
8.08.060 Cooperation with other agencies to prevent and suppress fires in wild lands.
The board of county commissioners shall cooperate with other agencies and counties as provided in NRS 472.040 to 472.090, inclusive, to prevent and suppress fires in wild lands and may contribute suitable amounts of money from the sums raised as provided in HCC 8.08.080 for such purposes to cooperating agencies, or may receive contributions from other agencies for such purposes. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 6)
8.08.070 Appointment and duties of fire chief.
A. The board of county commissioners may appoint a county fire chief who shall have adequate training and experience in fire control, and who shall hire such employees as are authorized by the board. The county fire chief shall administer all fire control laws, ordinances and rules and regulations in the fire protection district described in this chapter and perform such other duties as may be designated by the board of county commissioners and the State Forester Fire Warden. The county fire chief shall coordinate fire protection activities in the county and shall cooperate with all other existing fire protection agencies and with the State Forester Fire Warden for the standardization of equipment and facilities.
B. In lieu of, or in addition to, the provisions of subsection (A) of this section, the board of county commissioners may:
1. Provide the fire protection required by NRS 474.460 to 474.540, inclusive, to the county by entering into agreements with the other agencies as provided by NRS 472.060 through 472.090, inclusive, and NRS 277.040, for the furnishing of such protection to the county; or
2. Support volunteer fire departments within the district organized in this chapter under the provisions of NRS 474.460 to 474.540, inclusive, for the furnishing of such protection to the county. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 7)
8.08.080 Budget, taxes and use of funds.
A. Preparation. The board of county commissioners shall prepare a budget estimating the amount of money which will be needed to defray the expenses of the fire protection district organized in this chapter and to meet unforeseen fire emergencies, and determine the amount of a fire protection tax sufficient to raise such sums.
B. Levy. At the time of making the levy of county taxes for the year, the board of county commissioners shall levy the tax provided by subsection (A) of this section upon all property, both real and personal, subject to taxation within the boundaries of the district, including the net proceeds of mines. Cattle and other livestock which are defined as personal property in NRS 361.030 are not property subject to taxation under the provisions of subsection (A) of this section.
C. Tax Limit. The amount of tax to be collected for the purpose of this section shall not exceed, in any one year, one percent of the value of the property described in subsection (B) of this section.
D. Collection. If levied, the tax shall be entered upon the assessment roll and collected in the same manner as state and county taxes.
E. Funds. For the purpose of this chapter the county treasurer shall keep two separate funds, one to be known as the county fire protection operating fund and one to be known as the county fire protection emergency fund. The sum collected to defray the expenses of the fire protection district shall be deposited in the county fire protection operating fund, and the sum collected to meet unforeseen emergencies shall be deposited in the county fire protection emergency fund. The county fire protection emergency fund shall be used solely for emergencies and shall not be used for regular operating expenses, and shall not exceed the sum of fifty thousand dollars. (Ord. 3-21-72-A § 8)
8.08.090 Prohibited acts—Penalty.
Any person who willfully or negligently commits any of the acts enumerated in this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not less than fifteen dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment:
A. Throwing or placing any lighted cigarette, cigar or ashes which may cause a fire in any place where such lighted cigarette, cigar, match or ashes may start a fire;
B. Throwing or placing from a moving vehicle any lighted cigarette, cigar or ashes which may cause a fire. (Ord. 8-6-51 § 1)