Title 18 — Fires

The state fire marshal and deputy state fire marshals may enforce all the laws of the state providing for: 1. The prevention of fires. 2. The storage, sale, and use of combustibles, explosives, and fireworks. 3. The fire and life safety code compliance of hazardous materials. 4. …

1. The state fire marshal and the state fire marshal's deputies may perform fire safety inspections of those facilities required to be inspected under administrative rules of the department of health and human services. 2. The state fire marshal shall provide the department of he…

The state fire marshal may delegate to the department of health and human services or any political subdivision the authority to conduct investigations, surveys, or inspections, and the authority to enforce compliance where violations are discovered, which become the responsibili…

The state fire marshal, under the supervision of the insurance commissioner, shall make rules not inconsistent with the provisions of this code for the prevention of fires and shall explain such rules fully to all state, county, and municipal boards and officers. All such rules m…

The state fire marshal has the authority to provide educational programs on the hazards of fire.

Each insurer authorized to transact fire insurance business in this state is hereby required to report to the state fire marshal, either directly or through an approved agency, fire losses on property insured in the company, giving the name of the insured, the date of the fire, t…

1. The state fire marshal or any law enforcement officer as defined by section 12.1-01-04 may, in writing, require an insurance company at interest to release to the fire marshal or officer any or all relevant information or evidence deemed important which the company may have in…

Repealed by S.L. 1975, ch. 106, § 673.

Any person who interferes in any way with the state fire marshal or a deputy state fire marshal in the performance of that officer's duties is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

If the state fire marshal, a deputy state fire marshal, or any other officer mentioned in section 18-01-06 finds a building or other structure which is subject to fire because of age or dilapidation, defective or poorly installed electrical wiring or equipment, defective chimneys…

If a person is aggrieved by a final order of the state fire marshal ordering an abatement after the hearing provided for in the preceding section, such person may appeal to the district court of the county in which the property is situated and to the supreme court from an adverse…

The state fire marshal, at any time after an abatement order has become final, may file a copy thereof in the office of the clerk of the district court of the county in which the premises affected by the order are situated and thereafter all proceedings with reference thereto are…

Service of the abatement order and notice described in section 18-01-20 may be made by publication in the same manner as a summons is published in a civil action, upon the order of the district court having jurisdiction of the proceeding. The order for publication must be issued …

Any party having or claiming to have an interest in the premises described in the abatement order may appear and state the party's objections to said order in writing within twenty days after the service of the order and notice upon the party. After such period has expired, the c…

The proceeding in the district court may be brought on for hearing and determination by the state fire marshal or by any other party thereto at any time after thirty days have elapsed after the completion of service upon all the parties appearing to be interested therein. In the …

At the time set for the hearing in the district court, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the court shall hear and determine the issues raised by the abatement order and the objections thereto and shall make its findings of fact and conclusions of law therein as in other civil…

The order of abatement made by the state fire marshal, if no appeal is taken therefrom, is conclusive upon all parties to whom notice of the order was given as provided in section 18-01-16. If an appeal was taken from such order, the judgment of the court on appeal is conclusive …

If the court finds that the order of the state fire marshal is just and proper, the judgment must provide for the enforcement thereof within such time and in such manner as must be therein designated. By said judgment or by an appropriate order based thereon, the court may direct…

All records in the state fire marshal department must be public, except that the state fire marshal may withhold from the public any testimony, correspondence, or other matter secured in any investigation made under the provisions of this chapter.

The state fire marshal may submit a biennial report to the governor and the secretary of state in accordance with section 54-06-04.

The state's attorney of any county, upon the request of the state fire marshal or the state fire marshal's deputies or assistants, shall assist such officers upon the investigation of any fire which, in their opinion, is of suspicious origin. 18-01-31. Compensation of officers pe…

Any officer referred to in this chapter who neglects to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter must be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each neglect or violation.

The state fire marshal may adopt safety rules for the storage, sale, and use of combustibles and explosives, not otherwise provided by law. Any person who willfully refuses to comply with the safety rules adopted by the state fire marshal is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Rules…

Repealed by S.L. 2025, ch. 208, § 7.

Repealed by S.L. 2025, ch. 208, § 7.