                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

MIDDLE ATLANTIC INTERSTATE FOREST FIRE PROTECTION COMPACT (§ 10.1-1150)

§ 1. The Governor is hereby authorized to execute, on behalf of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, a compact with any one or more of the states of
Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia which
compact shall be in substantially the following form:
		MIDDLE ATLANTIC INTERSTATE FOREST FIRE PROTECTION COMPACT
		ARTICLE I. The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention and
control of forest fires in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States by
the development of integrated forest fire plans, by the maintenance of adequate
forest fire fighting services by the member states, and by providing for mutual
aid in fighting forest fires among the compacting states of the region and with
states which are party to other regional forest fire protection compacts or
agreements.
		ARTICLE II. This compact shall become operative immediately as to those states
ratifying it whenever any two or more of the states of Delaware, Maryland, New
Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia which are contiguous have
ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto.
		ARTICLE III. In each state, the state forester or officer holding the
equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control shall act as
compact administrator for that state and shall consult with like officials of
the other member states and shall implement cooperation between such states in
forest fire prevention and control.
		The compact administrators of the member states shall organize to coordinate
the services of the member states and provide administrative integration in
carrying out the purposes of this compact.
		The compact administrators shall formulate and, in accordance with need, from
time to time, revise a regional forest fire plan for the member states.
		It shall be the duty of each member state to formulate and put in effect a
forest fire plan for that state and take such measures as may be necessary to
integrate such forest fire plan with the regional forest fire plan formulated by
the compact administrators.
		ARTICLE IV. Whenever the state forest fire control agency of a member state
requests aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other member state
in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires, it shall be the duty of
the state forest fire control agency of that state to render all possible aid to
the requesting agency which is consonant with the maintenance of protection at
home.
		ARTICLE V. Whenever the forces of any member state are rendering outside aid
pursuant to the request of another member state under this compact, the
employees of such state shall, under the direction of the officers of the state
to which they are rendering aid, have the same powers (except the power of
arrest), duties, rights, privileges and immunities as comparable employees of
the state to which they are rendering aid.
		No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside aid pursuant to
this compact shall be liable on account of any act or omission on the part of
such forces while so engaged, or on account of the maintenance or use of any
equipment or supplies in connection therewith.
		All liability, except as otherwise provided hereinafter, that may arise either
under the laws of the requesting state or under the laws of the aiding state or
under the laws of a third state on account of or in connection with a request
for aid, shall be assumed and borne by the requesting state.
		Any member state rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact shall be
reimbursed by the member state receiving such aid for any loss or damage to, or
expense incurred in the operation of any equipment answering a request for aid,
and for the cost of all materials, transportation, wages, salaries, and
maintenance of employees and equipment incurred in connection with such request:
provided, that nothing herein contained shall prevent any assisting member state
from assuming such loss, damage, expense or other cost or from loaning such
equipment or from donating such services to the receiving member state without
charge or cost.
		Each member state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death
benefits to injured employees and the representatives of deceased employees in
case employees sustain injuries or are killed while rendering outside aid
pursuant to this compact, in the same manner and on the same terms as if the
injury or death were sustained within such state.
		For the purposes of this compact, the term &#8220;employee&#8221; shall
include any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire
fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws thereof.
		The compact administrators shall formulate procedures for claims and
reimbursement under the provisions of this article, in accordance with the laws
of the member states.
		ARTICLE VI. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to authorize or permit
any member state to curtail or diminish its forest fire fighting forces,
equipment, services or facilities, and it shall be the duty and responsibility
of each member state to maintain adequate forest fire fighting forces and
equipment to meet demands for forest fire protection within its borders in the
same manner and to the same extent as if this compact were not operative.
		Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit or restrict the powers of
any state ratifying the same to provide for the prevention, control and
extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit the enactment or enforcement of
state laws, rules or regulations intended to aid in such prevention, control and
extinguishment in such state.
		Nothing in this compact shall be construed to affect any existing or future
cooperative relationship or arrangement between the United States Forest Service
and a member state or states.
		ARTICLE VII. The compact administrators may request the United States Forest
Service to act as the primary research and coordinating agency of the Middle
Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact in cooperation with the
appropriate agencies in each state, and the United States Forest Service may
accept the initial responsibility in preparing and presenting to the compact
administrators its recommendations with respect to the regional fire plan.
Representatives of the United States Forest Service may attend meetings of the
compact administrators.
		ARTICLE VIII. The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact which relate
to mutual aid in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires shall be
operative as between any state party to this compact and any other state which
is party to a regional forest fire protection compact in another region,
provided that the legislature of such other state shall have given its assent to
such mutual aid provisions of this compact.
		ARTICLE IX. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each
state ratifying it until the legislature or the governor of such state takes
action to withdraw therefrom. Such action shall not be effective until six
months after notice thereof has been sent by the chief executive of the state
desiring to withdraw to the chief executives of all states then parties to the
compact.
		§ 2. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly reserved.

HISTORY: 1966, c. 6, § 27-5.4; 1988, c. 891; 2016, c. 566.