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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 477.120 (2026)

Liability of owner or operator

✓ current as of May 2026
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      477.120 Liability of owner or operator. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the owner or operator of forestland is not subject to the obligations or penalties of ORS 164.335 and 477.740 or 477.064, 477.066 and 477.068 if:

      (a) Forest patrol assessments are regularly paid for the forestland;

      (b) Such forestland is protected pursuant to membership in a forest protective association in accordance with ORS 477.210, which association has undertaken the control and suppression of fires on such land as provided in the contract; or

      (c) Such forestland is protected pursuant to cooperative agreement or contract under ORS 477.406.

      (2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section do not apply to such owner or operator if the owner or operator:

      (a) Is willful, malicious or negligent in the origin or subsequent spread of a fire on such forestland;

      (b) Has caused or permitted an operation to exist on such forestland and a fire originates thereon as a result of the operation;

      (c) Has failed to give notice to the forester pursuant to ORS 527.670 (6), has failed to obtain a permit for the use of fire in any form or power-driven machinery pursuant to ORS 477.625 or has failed within the time prescribed in any order or notice issued by the forester to reduce, abate, or offset any hazard determined to exist pursuant to ORS 477.062 or 477.580 and a fire originates on or spreads to the area on which such hazard exists and for which no release has been granted pursuant to ORS 477.580 (3) or (4); or

      (d) Has caused or allowed any burning, including burning regulated by ORS 477.013 or 477.515, whether or not a permit has been obtained and a fire results from or is caused by such burning.

      (3) Unless subsection (2)(a) or (c) of this section applies, the owner or operator shall not be obligated to pay that portion of the actual costs provided in ORS 477.068 which are the ordinary costs of the regular personnel and equipment of the forest protection district wherein the forestland is located.

      (4) If subsection (2)(b) or (d) of this section applies and subsection (2)(a) and (c) of this section do not apply, the owner or operator shall not be liable to the forester for fire suppression costs in excess of $300,000.

      (5) The provisions of subsections (3) and (4) of this section do not apply to the owner or operator if the owner or operator fails to make every reasonable effort.

      (6) For the purpose of subsection (2)(b) of this section, if a fire originates while an operation is in progress, there is a presumption, under ORS 40.120, that the fire originated as a result of the operation. [Formerly 477.056; 1971 c.743 §385; 1973 c.46 §2; 1983 c.22 §4; 1989 c.615 §1; 1997 c.274 §48; 2007 c.847 §2]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1982–2000 · leading case: State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp., 941 P.2d 1052 (Or. Ct. App. 1997).
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State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp., 941 P.2d 1052 (Or. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 9× “ORS 477.120 provides a limited immunity from liability for the Department’s costs in suppressing forest fires when the owner of the forestland has fulfilled its obligations under ORS 477.”
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana Pac. Corp., 999 P.2d 487 (Or. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 7× “ORS 477.120 (1995) provided, in part: “(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the owner or operator of forestland is not subject to the obligations or penalties of * * * 477.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 646 P.2d 96 (Or. Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 10× “3 Specific exemptions from that liability are afforded an owner or operator under ORS 477.120(1), which provides: “Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, neither the owner nor operator of forest land is subject to the obligations or penalties of ORS 164.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 655 P.2d 1053 (Or. 1982). · cites it 5× “ORS 477.120(1) exempts owners and operators of forest land from criminal and civil liability under ORS 477.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 477.120(1) — 3 cases
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp., 941 P.2d 1052 (Or. Ct. App. 1997). “ORS 477.120 provides a limited immunity from liability for the Department’s costs in suppressing forest fires when the owner of the forestland has fulfilled its obligations under ORS 477.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 646 P.2d 96 (Or. Ct. App. 1982). “3 Specific exemptions from that liability are afforded an owner or operator under ORS 477.120(1), which provides: “Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, neither the owner nor operator of forest land is subject to the obligations or penalties of ORS 164.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 655 P.2d 1053 (Or. 1982). “ORS 477.120(1) exempts owners and operators of forest land from criminal and civil liability under ORS 477.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 477.120(2) — 4 cases
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 646 P.2d 96 (Or. Ct. App. 1982). “3 Specific exemptions from that liability are afforded an owner or operator under ORS 477.120(1), which provides: “Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, neither the owner nor operator of forest land is subject to the obligations or penalties of ORS 164.”
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp., 941 P.2d 1052 (Or. Ct. App. 1997). “ORS 477.120 provides a limited immunity from liability for the Department’s costs in suppressing forest fires when the owner of the forestland has fulfilled its obligations under ORS 477.”
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana Pac. Corp., 999 P.2d 487 (Or. Ct. App. 2000). “ORS 477.120 (1995) provided, in part: “(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the owner or operator of forestland is not subject to the obligations or penalties of * * * 477.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 655 P.2d 1053 (Or. 1982). “ORS 477.120(1) exempts owners and operators of forest land from criminal and civil liability under ORS 477.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 477.120(2)(a) — 1 case
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana Pac. Corp., 999 P.2d 487 (Or. Ct. App. 2000). “ORS 477.120 (1995) provided, in part: “(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the owner or operator of forestland is not subject to the obligations or penalties of * * * 477.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 477.120(2)(b) — 3 cases
State ex rel. Dep't of Forestry v. Louisiana Pac. Corp., 999 P.2d 487 (Or. Ct. App. 2000). “ORS 477.120 (1995) provided, in part: “(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the owner or operator of forestland is not subject to the obligations or penalties of * * * 477.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 646 P.2d 96 (Or. Ct. App. 1982). “3 Specific exemptions from that liability are afforded an owner or operator under ORS 477.120(1), which provides: “Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, neither the owner nor operator of forest land is subject to the obligations or penalties of ORS 164.”
State v. Columbia Basin Elec. Co-op, Inc., 655 P.2d 1053 (Or. 1982). “ORS 477.120(1) exempts owners and operators of forest land from criminal and civil liability under ORS 477.”
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