(1) Regions within the state are initially established as follows but may be adjusted as necessary by the state fire marshal:

(a) Northwest region – Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, San Juan, and Island counties;

(b) Northeast region – Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Lincoln counties;

(c) Olympic region – Clallam and Jefferson counties;

(d) South Puget Sound region – Kitsap, Mason, King, and Pierce counties;

(e) Southeast region – Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Grant, Adams, Whitman, Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin counties;

(f) Central region – Grays Harbor, Thurston, Pacific, and Lewis counties; and

(g) Southwest region – Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, and Skamania counties.

(2)(a) There is created a regional fire defense board within each region created in subsection (1) of this section.

(b) The regional fire defense boards shall consist of two members from each county in the region. One member from each county shall be appointed by the county fire chiefs’ association or, in the event there is no such county association, by the county’s legislative authority. Each county’s office of emergency management or, in the event there is no such office, the county’s legislative authority shall select the second representative to the regional board. The department of natural resources fire control chief shall appoint a representative from each department of natural resources region to serve as a member of the appropriate regional fire defense board.

(c) Members of each regional board will select a chairperson and secretary as officers. Members serving on the regional boards do so in a voluntary capacity and are not eligible for reimbursement for meeting-related expenses from the state.

(3)(a) Regional defense boards shall develop regional fire service plans that include provisions for organized fire agencies to respond across municipal, county, or regional boundaries.

(b) Each regional plan shall be consistent with the incident command system, the Washington state fire services mobilization plan, the requirements of this section, and regional response plans already adopted and in use in the state. The regional boards shall work with the relevant local government entities to facilitate development of intergovernmental agreements if any such agreements are required to implement a regional fire service plan.

(c) Each regional fire service plan must include a mechanism by which a local fire mobilization radio frequency, consistent with RCW 76.04.015, is identified and made available during the initial response to any forest fire that crosses jurisdictional lines so that all responders have access to communications during the response. Different initial response frequencies may be identified and used as appropriate in different geographic response areas. If the fire radio communication needs escalate beyond the capability of the identified local radio frequency, the use of other available designated interoperability radio frequencies may be used.

(d) Each regional fire service plan shall be approved by the director of fire protection.

Reviser’s note: This section was amended by 2010 c 38 § 2 and by 2010 1st sp.s. c 7 § 48, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).

Effective date—2010 1st sp.s. c 26; 2010 1st sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 43.03.027.

Findings—1992 c 117: See note following RCW 35.21.775.