Title 9 PEACE, SAFETY AND MORALS
Chapter 9.32 FIRE REGULATIONS*
9.32.005 Weeds declared a nuisance.
9.32.010 Fire season--Smoking near vegetation.
9.32.020 Fire protection or break--Deemed necessary.
9.32.030 Fire protection or break--Near inflammable vegetation required.
9.32.040 Chemical extinguishers for combined harvester or traction engine required.
9.32.050 Gas tractor or engine--Exhaust attachment required.
9.32.060 Warehouse or storage building--Fire break or protection required.
9.32.070 Building--Fire break or protection required.
9.32.080 Throwing ignited substance on highway or near vegetation prohibited.
9.32.090 Igniting substance in inflammable field or building prohibited.
9.32.100 Penalty for violation.
9.32.110 Violations--Deemed nuisance--Abatement.
9.32.120 Enactment.
* For provisions regarding fire prevention, see Chapter 14.36 of this
code.
9.32.005 Weeds declared a nuisance.
The existence of weeds as defined by Section 14875 of the California
Health and Safety Code is hereby declared to be a nuisance of a seasonal and
recurring nature when the existence of the weeds causes a violation of the
provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 138-A § l(part), 1975).
9.32.010 Fire season--Smoking near vegetation.
A. It is unlawful to smoke or ignite tobacco or other smoking material in
any form upon grain, grass, brush or timber-covered lands belonging to another
including such lands publicly owned or upon any road, path or trail traversing
such lands between June 1st and October 31st inclusive, of any year, except in
any of the following circumstances:
1. In improved camp sites;
2. In
places of human habitation;
3. In automobiles equipped with ash trays while
on improved roads or trails;
4. While on foot and stopped in an area at
least three feet in diameter which is completely clear of any inflammable
matter, provided in all such instances burning or glowing substances shall be
completely extinguished before being discarded.
B. This section may be
enforced by any peace officer or any State Fire Warden, Deputy State Fire
Warden, United States Forest Officer or any person empowered to make arrests
under the provisions of Section 4009 and 4011 of the Public Resources Code of
the state. (Ord. 205 § 1, 3, 1950).
9.32.020 Fire protection or break--Deemed necessary.
It is necessary, in order to prevent great and irreparable damage to crops
and other property, and for the preservation thereof, and for the preservation
of the public peace, health and safety within the county that fire protection
and fire breaks be established and maintained in the county. (Ord. 138 §
1, 1918).
9.32.030 Fire protection or break--Near inflammable vegetation required.
Every person, firm, corporation, copartnership, district, or association
of persons whatsoever being in possession of, occupying, owning in whole or in
part or having interest in or control of any land within the county outside of
an incorporated city or town, upon which there has been sown, or is standing,
growing or grown any wheat, oats, barley, hay or vegetation of any kind
whatsoever, which, when so sown, standing, growing, grown or being upon said
land in any way, has become inflammable, easily ignited or easily burned, shall
at all times during the season when the same, or any part thereof is
inflammable, easily ignited or easily burned, maintain around the outer boundary
or boundaries of said lands, where the same are adjacent to any farming lands
having inflammable, easily ignited or easily burned vegetation thereon, or where
the said lands are adjacent to any highway through or along farming lands upon
which said lands there is any wheat, oats, barley, hay or vegetation of any kind
that, or any part of which, has become inflammable, easily ignited or easily
burned; an effective fire protection, or fire break of at least three feet in
width, when said fire protection or fire break is made by plowing, and at least
six feet in width, when said fire protection or fire break is otherwise made.
Provided, however, that when said lands are adjacent to a highway, the fire
protection or fire break may be made by the removal of all inflammable, easily
ignited or easily burned grain, hay, vegetation, matter or substance along or
upon the half of the highway next adjacent to said lands. (Ord. 138 § 2,
1918).
9.32.040 Chemical extinguishers for combined harvester or traction engine required.
Every person, firm, corporation, copartnership, district or association of
persons whatsoever, harvesting grain or causing grain to be harvested by the use
and operation of a combined harvester or traction engine within the county shall
at all times during the dry season, whether said combined harvester or traction
engine is used in the harvesting of grain or otherwise, provide such harvester
and such traction engine with at least two suitable up-to-date chemical fire
extinguishers for each combined harvester and each traction engine so used. Such
fire extinguishers shall be kept in a convenient place upon such combined
harvesters and traction engines and shall be fully equipped and ready for
immediate use. (Ord. 138 § 3, 1918).
9.32.050 Gas tractor or engine--Exhaust attachment required.
Every person, firm, corporation, copartnership, district, or association
or persons whatsoever operating or causing to be operated any gas tractor or
engine in harvesting grain or for any other purpose during the dry season in the
county, shall cause a suitable and effective device to be attached to the
exhaust on each and every gas tractor or engine for the purpose of arresting
burning carbon and sparks and preventing fire from said source. (Ord. 138
§ 4, 1918).
9.32.060 Warehouse or storage building--Fire break or protection required.
Every person, firm, corporation, co-partnership, district, or association
of persons whatsoever, being in possession of, occupying, owning in whole or in
part or having any interest in or control of any warehouse, or building used or
maintained for the storage of grain, hay, rice, food stuffs or other property of
any kind or character for hire or otherwise in the county, outside of any
incorporated city or town, shall at all times maintain around the warehouse or
building an effective fire protection or fire-break of at least twenty feet in
width. (Ord. 138 § 5, 1918).
9.32.070 Building--Fire break or protection required.
Every person, firm, corporation, copartnership, district, or association
of persons whatsoever, being in possession of, occupying, owning in whole or in
part or having any interest in or control of any building in the county, outside
any incorporated city or town, shall maintain an effective fire protection or
fire break around said building of at least twenty feet in width. (Ord. 138
§ 6, 1918).
9.32.080 Throwing ignited substance on highway or near vegetation prohibited.
Every person within the county, outside of any incorporated city or town,
who throws or causes to be thrown, discards or causes to be discarded, places or
causes to be placed any lighted cigar, cigarette, match or any ignited substance
or material on or in any highway or in any place where said lighted cigar,
cigarette, match, or any ignited substance or material causes or is possible or
likely to cause any weeds, grass, hay, grain, vegetation, material or substance
of any kind to ignite therefrom, thereby or by reason thereof, without first
extinguishing all the fire of, on, in and from said cigar, cigarette, match,
ignited substance and material, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ord. 138 § 7,
1918).
9.32.090 Igniting substance in inflammable field or building prohibited.
Every person within the county, outside any incorporated city or town,
who, while in any grain, hay, stubble or any field where there is then any
grain, hay, stubble or other substance or material grown thereon or therein in
an inflammable condition, easily ignited or easily burned, or who, while in any
building where there is any hay, straw, wool or any inflammable, easily ignited
or easily burned substance or material of any kind, lights, ignites or causes to
be ignited or lighted any cigar, cigarette, match, pipe, material or substance
of any kind, except electric lights in the nighttime for the purpose of seeing,
is guilty of a misdemeanor (Ord. 138 § 8, 1918).
9.32.100 Penalty for violation.
The penalty for violations of this chapter shall be as prescribed in
Chapter 1.12 of this code. (Ord. 378 § 2(part), 1973: Ord. 205 § 2,
1950: Ord. 138 § 9, 1918).
9.32.110 Violations--Deemed nuisance--Abatement.
Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a
nuisance. The remedy to abate the nuisance shall be according to Chapter 7.20 of
this code, and shall be in addition to any other remedy provided by this chapter
or by law. (Ord. 138-A § 1(part), 1975).
9.32.120 Enactment.
Sections 9.32.005 and 9.32.110 are hereby declared and found to be
emergency measures and are expressly enacted as emergency measures in accordance
with the meaning and intent of Section 3751 of the Elections Code of the state
of California for the following reasons:
The health and safety of the
residents of the county of Madera are dependent upon rules and regulation
governing fire prevention. Therefore, by virtue of the urgency, the ordinance
codified in this chapter shall take effect immediately upon its adoption this
fifteenth day of July, 1975. (Ord. 138-A § 1(part), 1975).
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