26.01 Definitions. In this chapter: (1) Unless the context requires otherwise, “ department” means the department of natural resources. (2) “Forest fire” means uncontrolled, wild, or running fires occurring on forest, marsh, field, cutover, or other lands or involving farm, city, or village property and improvements incidental to the uncontrolled, wild, or running fires occurring […]
26.02 Council on forestry. (1) Duties. The council on forestry shall advise the governor, the legislature, the department of natural resources, and other state agencies, as determined to be appropriate by the council, on all of the following topics as they affect forests located in this state: (a) The protection of forests from fire, insects, […]
26.03 Harvest of raw forest products. (1b) Definitions. In this section: (a) “Harvest” means to cut, remove or transport. (b) “Harvesting” means cutting, removing or transporting. (c) “Raw forest products” has the meaning given in s. 26.05 (1). (1g) Prohibition; delinquent taxes. No person may harvest any raw forest products, or direct the harvest of […]
26.05 Timber theft. (1) Definition. In this section, “raw forest products” means forest products not altered by a manufacturing process off the land from which they are taken and includes seedlings, saplings, shrubs, whole-tree chips, boughs, logs, pilings, posts, poles, cordwood products, pulpwood, fuel wood and Christmas trees. (2) Consent of owner required. No person […]
26.06 Enforcement, seizure and sale of materials. (1) Foresters, forest supervisors, rangers and wardens of the department and the cruisers and foresters of the board of commissioners of public lands have the enforcement powers specified in s. 26.97 with respect to, and may seize, without process, any forest products unlawfully severed from public lands of […]
26.07 Money, how disposed of. All money received from the sale of logs, lumber, shingles, timber, minerals or other articles seized under this chapter, or recovered in legal proceedings for damages done the public lands, shall be paid into the treasury to the credit of the respective funds to which the lands belong on which […]
26.08 Leases and licenses. (1) The department may, from time to time, lease parts or parcels of state park lands or state forest lands. These leases shall contain proper covenants to guard against trespass and waste. The rents arising from these leases shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the proper […]
26.09 Civil liability for unauthorized cutting, removal or transportation of raw forest products. (1b) Definitions. In this section: (a) “Compass” means a sighting compass with a liquid-filled capsule that has been adjusted for the proper declination. (b) “Fair market value” means the amount for which the raw forest products or land can be sold in […]
26.10 Reports by the department to the board of commissioners of public lands. The department shall report monthly to the board of commissioners of public lands all trespasses committed, all materials seized, all sales made and all moneys received under ss. 26.01 to 26.09.
26.105 Forestry and fire prevention study. The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin County Forests Association shall prepare a report containing the results of the forestry and fire prevention study conducted as approved by the joint committee on finance under s. 26.105 (2), 2013 stats., and shall submit the report to the department, […]
26.11 Forest fires; department jurisdiction; procedure. (1) The department is vested with power, authority, and jurisdiction in all matters relating to the prevention, detection, and suppression of forest fires outside the limits of villages and cities in the state except as provided in s. 26.01 (2), and to do all things necessary in the exercise […]
26.12 Forest protection areas, organization, emergency fire wardens, county cooperation, setting fire. (1) Establishment of areas. Whenever it appears to the department from investigation, hearing or otherwise that areas in the state are in need of protection from forest fires, the department may by rule establish an intensive or an extensive forest protection area in […]
26.13 Town fire wardens; duties, expenses. (1) The chairperson of the town board of each town outside the limits of a forest protection area shall, by virtue of the office and the oath of the office, be town fire warden for the town. The fire warden shall assist and cooperate with the department in all […]
26.14 Forest fires, authority of fire fighters, compensation, penalties, civil liability. (1) State forest rangers, town chairpersons, conservation wardens and other duly appointed deputies shall take prompt measures against the spread and illegal setting of forest fires. They may call upon any able-bodied citizen to assist in fighting fires in such manner as they direct. […]
26.145 Fire suppression aids. (1) Grants. The department shall establish a program to award grants for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquiring fire resistant clothing for suppressing fires, of acquiring fire suppression supplies, equipment, and vehicles, of acquiring fire prevention materials, and of training fire fighters in forest fire suppression techniques. (2) […]
26.15 Responsibility of wardens and citizens. Any fire warden who refuses to carry out this chapter, or any able-bodied citizen who refuses to render assistance as provided by this chapter, shall forfeit not more than $50. History: 1975 c. 365.
26.18 District attorneys to prosecute. Whenever an arrest has been made for any violation of this chapter, or whenever any information of such violation has been lodged with him or her, the district attorney of the county in which the act was committed may prosecute the offender. History: 1975 c. 365.
26.19 Destruction of forest protection equipment or notices. (1) Any person who destroys, defaces, removes or molests any forest protection equipment or property shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than 9 months or both. (2) Any person who disfigures any forest fire sign, poster or warning notice shall forfeit not […]
26.20 Fire protection devices. (2) Spark arresters on locomotives. All road locomotives operated on any railroad shall be equipped with spark arresters that meet or exceed minimum performance and maintenance standards enumerated by the department. The superintendent of motive power or equivalent officer of each railway shall designate an employee of the railway at each […]
26.205 Tractors, spark arresters. Tractors operating in a forest protection area or on other land where there is danger of setting fire, shall be equipped so that the tractors will not set fire on the lands and to reduce to a minimum the danger of setting fire. The department or its locomotive inspector is authorized […]
