Subdivision 1. Distance. The governing body of any town or city may construct and continuously maintain good and sufficient firebreaks for the protection of life and property within such municipality. For such purposes any city may completely clear all land and remove all combustible or inflammable materials therefrom within 1,000 feet next beyond and outside of the boundary lines of the city whenever and wherever such improvement will reasonably tend to prevent or abate forest fires.

Subd. 2. Benefits; assessment; lien. If any clearing or other improvement of land made by any town or city benefits any person, or benefits some and damages others, then the amount of both such benefits and damages shall be ascertained in the same manner as provided by law with respect to damages in condemnation proceedings by power of eminent domain. All provisions of law relating to the determination of the amount of damages in condemnation proceedings shall apply to the determination of the value of benefits under this section, as far as practicable. Any benefits so found shall be assessed against, and be a lien upon, the real property so benefited and shall be noted upon the public records and collected upon the same terms and in substantially the same manner as now provided by law for the collection of ditch and drainage assessments pursuant to chapter 103E.

History: (4031-51, 4031-52) 1925 c 263 s 16,17; 1961 c 560 s 10; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1985 c 172 s 99; 1990 c 391 art 8 s 18; 2006 c 214 s 20