Chap. 204.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 542-a of the Code of Virginia,
relating to the recovery of certain fire fighting costs from persons liable therefor,
so as to provide that all such costs shall be recoverable by action brought by the
State Forester, and to provide for the disposition of funds recovered. [S B 174]

Approved March 12, 1942

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That section
five hundred and forty-two-a of the Code of Virginia, be amended and
re-enacted, as follows:

Section 542-a. Recovery of fire fighting costs—(a) Any person
who negligently, carelessly, or intentionally without using reasonable care
and precaution to prevent its escape, starts a fire which burns on forest-
land, brush-land or waste-land, shall be liable for the full amount of all
expenses incurred, both by the county and by the Commonwealth, for
fighting or extinguishing such fire, all of which shall be recoverable by
action brought by the State Forester in the name of the Commonwealth.
It shall be the duty of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys of the several coun-
ties to institute and prosecute proper proceedings under this section, at
the instance of the State Forester. Noa

The provisions of this section shall cover every manner or way in
which forest-land or brush-land or waste-land fires may be started,
whether by direct act, or by an appliance or by indirection. — 3
The term “person” as used in this section shall include individuals,
associations, partnerships, joint stock companies and corporations, and
their officers, sergeants, agents and employees. Every county in which a
fire has occurred for the suppression of which any costs are collected
pursuant to this section shall be reimbursed by that proportion of any
amount so collected which the cost incurred by such county in the sup-
pression of such fire bears to the entire cost of its suppression.