§ 14-136. Setting fire to grass and brushlands and woodlands. - North Carolina Statutes

§14‑136.  Setting fire to grass and brushlands and woodlands.

If any person shallintentionally set fire to any grassland, brushland or woodland, except it behis own property, or in that case without first giving notice to all personsowning or in charge of lands adjoining the land intended to be fired, andwithout also taking care to watch such fire while burning and to extinguish itbefore it shall reach any lands near to or adjoining the lands so fired, heshall for every such offense be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor for the firstoffense, and for a second or any subsequent similar offense shall be guilty ofa Class 1 misdemeanor.  If intent to damage the property of another shall beshown, said person shall be punished as a Class I felon.  This section shallnot prevent an action for the damages sustained by the owner of any propertyfrom such fires.  For the purposes of this section, the term"woodland" is to be taken to include all forest areas, both timberand cutover land, and all second‑growth stands on areas that have at onetime been cultivated.  Any person who shall furnish to the State, evidencesufficient for the conviction of a violation of this section shall receive thesum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) to be paid from the State Fire SuppressionFund. (1777, c. 123, ss. 1, 2, P.R.; R.C., c. 16, ss. 1, 2;Code, ss. 52, 53; Rev., s. 3346; 1915, c. 243, ss. 8, 11; 1919, c. 318; C.S.,s. 4309; 1925, c. 61, s. 1; 1943, c. 661; 1979, c. 760, s. 5; 1979, 2nd Sess.,c. 1316, s. 47; 1981, c. 63, s. 1, c. 179, s. 14, c. 892; 1993, c. 539, ss. 78,1188; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)