SECTIONS 55600-55609 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 55600-55609

55600. As used in this article, "local agency" means a city,
chartered city, or a fire protection district.

55601. As used in this article, "county" means a county in which a
county firewarden has been appointed.

55602. As used in this article, "forest fire" means any fire
burning uncontrolled on any lands partially or wholly covered by
timber, brush, grass, grain, or other inflammable vegetation.

55603. The board of supervisors of any county may contract with any
local agency within the county, and the legislative body of the
local agency may contract with the county, for the performance by the
county firewarden of functions for the prevention and suppression of
fires.

55603.5. Every contract between a county and a city that provides
for the furnishing of fire protection services by the county to the
city, except a contract to render assistance whenever a fire occurs
within the limits of a city of when it cannot be adequately handled
by the fire department of the city, shall be for a term of at least
one year.
Neither the county nor the city shall have the power to abrogate
that contract during the term of the contract. The contractual
relationship between the county and the city may, however, be
terminated by the voters of either the county or the city.
The board of supervisors or the governing body of the city may, at
any time, call and conduct a special election in the county or the
city, as the case may be, for the purpose of submitting to the voters
of the county or the city a proposition for the termination of the
contractual relationship between the county and the city.
An election in the county shall be called and conducted in the
same manner as other special elections in the county. An election in
the city shall be called and conducted in the same manner as other
special elections in the city, except that no notice of the election,
other than the notice prescribed by Section 12110 of the Elections
Code, need be given and neither sample ballots nor polling place
notices need be mailed for the election.
If at an election in the county or an election in the city, a
majority of the voters voting vote in favor of the termination of the
contractual relationship between the county and the city, the
contractual relationship shall be terminated on the first day of July
next succeeding the date of the election, if the election is held on
or before February 1 of the fiscal year of the county. If the
election is held subsequent to February 1 of the fiscal year, the
contractual relationship shall be terminated on June 30 of the fiscal
year next succeeding.

55604. When the contract has been made, the county firewarden, his
deputies, and assistants may exercise the same powers and duties
within the local agency as are conferred upon officers charged with
the duty of preventing and suppressing fires by State and local law
within such county or local agency.

55605. In the contract the local agency may provide for the payment
by it to the county of an agreed consideration to be paid to the
county treasurer.

55606. The board of supervisors may contract with the state,
through the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, for the
performance by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, his or
her deputies, and assistants of functions for the prevention or
suppression of fires within the county.

55607. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection may contract
with the county for the performance by the county fire warden, his or
her deputies, and assistants of functions for the prevention or
suppression of fires within the county.

55608. When a contract has been made, the Director of Forestry and
Fire Protection or the county fire warden may exercise the same
powers and duties within the county for the prevention and
suppression of fires which by state or local law is conferred upon
those officers.

55609. The contract between the county and the State may provide
for the duties, directions, and salaries of such personnel upon the
terms agreed upon.