# RCW 76.04.021: RCW 76.04.021: Department must accommodate livestock owner's request to retrieve or care for animals at risk due to a wildfire—Liability

> Washington · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S021

## Section

- **Citation:** RCW 76.04.021
- **Heading:** RCW 76.04.021: Department must accommodate livestock owner's request to retrieve or care for animals at risk due to a wildfire—Liability
- **Jurisdiction:** Washington
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Washington Code / Title 76 / Chapter 04 / Section 021

## Text

(1)(a) The department must make every reasonable effort to accommodate a livestock owner's request to retrieve or care for animals in his or her charge that are at risk due to a wildfire. (b) The department may only prohibit livestock owners, or the owner's employees or agents, from retrieving or caring for livestock that are lawfully present on the public lands during any fire suppression response if doing so is reasonably necessary to prevent interference with a direct, active fire response. (2) The department must incorporate the implementation of this section into any prefire season training or coordination conducted in local communities that contain active grazing areas. (3)(a) The owner of livestock lawfully present on public lands assumes full liability for any damages incurred to himself or herself, and any employees or agents in his or her charge, if public lands are accessed to retrieve or care for livestock during the time of a fire suppression response by the department affecting the public lands in question. (b) No civil liability may be imposed by any court on the state, the department, or another political subdivision of the state for any direct or indirect adverse impacts, including injury or death, resulting from: (i) The department's reasonable efforts under this section to accommodate a livestock owner, or the owner's employees or agents, to retrieve or care for animals in his or her charge that are at risk due to a wildfire; or (ii) A livestock owner, or the owner's employees or agents, accessing public lands to retrieve or care for livestock during the time of a fire suppression response by the department affecting the public lands in question.

## Nearby sections

- [RCW 76.04.005 RCW 76.04.005: Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S005.md)
- [RCW 76.04.015 RCW 76.04.015: Fire protection powers and duties of department—Enforcement—Investigation—Administration.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S015.md)
- [RCW 76.04.016 RCW 76.04.016: Fire prevention and suppression capacity—Duties owed to public in general—Legislative intent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S016.md)
- [RCW 76.04.021 RCW 76.04.021: Department must accommodate livestock owner's request to retrieve or care for animals at risk due to a wildfire—Liability.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S021.md)
- [RCW 76.04.025 RCW 76.04.025: Federal funds.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S025.md)
- [RCW 76.04.035 RCW 76.04.035: Wardens—Appointment—Duties.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S035.md)
- [RCW 76.04.045 RCW 76.04.045: Rangers—Appointment—Ex officio rangers—Compensation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S045.md)
- [RCW 76.04.055 RCW 76.04.055: Service of notices.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S055.md)
- [RCW 76.04.065 RCW 76.04.065: Arrests without warrants.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S065.md)
- [RCW 76.04.075 RCW 76.04.075: Rules—Penalty.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S075.md)
- [RCW 76.04.085 RCW 76.04.085: Penalty for violations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S085.md)
- [RCW 76.04.095 RCW 76.04.095: Cooperative protection.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S095.md)
- [RCW 76.04.105 RCW 76.04.105: Contracts for protection and development.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S105.md)
- [RCW 76.04.115 RCW 76.04.115: Articles of incorporation—Requirements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S115.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T76_C04_S021. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.