2013 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 12 - Drugs and Alcohol, Fire Protection, Natural Resources
Chapter 478 - Rural Fire Protection Districts
Section 478.965 - Recovery by district of costs of suppressing unlawful fire; attorney fees.

(1) If the fire-fighting apparatus or personnel, or either of a district, are required to respond and be used actively or on a standby basis in connection with the extinguishment or control of a fire that has been started or allowed to spread in willful violation of ORS 478.960 (1) to (5), the person responsible therefor shall be liable to the district furnishing such apparatus or personnel, or both, for the actual costs incurred by the district in controlling, extinguishing or patrolling the fire. Such costs may be recovered in an action prosecuted in the name of the district. The court may award reasonable attorney fees to the district if the district prevails in an action under this section. The court may award reasonable attorney fees to a defendant who prevails in an action under this section if the court determines that the district had no objectively reasonable basis for asserting the claim or no reasonable basis for appealing an adverse decision of the trial court.

(2) An itemized statement of the actual costs incurred by the district, certified under oath by the treasurer of the district, shall be accepted as prima facie evidence of such costs in the action authorized by this section. [1967 c.420 §6; 1969 c.667 §58; 1981 c.897 §55; 1995 c.696 §24]