The Saeima ¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Law on Fire Safety, Fire-Fighting, and Rescue Operations

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1. Terms Used in this Law

The following terms are used in this Law:

1) rescue operations - a set of measures for rescuing people and for reducing factors dangerous to the environment or material valuables and the damage caused thereby;

2) forest object - the object referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one of the Forest Law;

3) fire-fighting operations in a forest - the detection, containment, and extinguishing of fire in a forest object, and also supervision after the fire has been extinguished;

4) forest fire-hazard period - the period from 1 April to 30 September of a calendar year;

5) object - a structure, a part thereof, a technological appliance, or a plot of land (territory) other than a forest object;

6) fire safety - compliance with the requirements laid down in the laws and regulations in relation to the prevention, successful extinguishing of fire, and reduction of the consequences thereof;

7) fire safety prevention - measures that promote compliance with the fire safety requirements and proper conduct in the event of a fire;

8) fire-fighting - organised activity aimed at extinguishing a fire;

9) fire - manifestation of uncontrolled combustion in time and space or in the environment which may endanger human health or life, cause material losses, or damage the environment;

10) State fire safety supervision - a set of measures aimed at supervising compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations.

Section 2. Purpose and Scope of Application of the Law

(1) The purpose of the Law is to improve fire safety, to decrease the number of fires and persons killed and injured in fires, and to reduce material losses.

(2) The Law prescribes:

1) the system and competence of fire-fighting and rescue services and organisations, and also the duties and rights of natural and legal persons for ensuring effective and successful fire safety, fire-fighting, and rescue operations;

2) the duties, rights, and legal protection of officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service with special service ranks;

3) the duties and rights of officials of the State Forest Service.

Section 3. Fire-fighting and Rescue Services and Organisations

(1) The State has the following fire-fighting and rescue services and organisations:

1) State Fire and Rescue Service;

2) State Forest Service;

3) fire-fighting organisations established by local governments;

4) fire-fighting and rescue organisations established by commercial companies;

5) voluntary fire-fighter organisations.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine:

1) the criteria, requirements, and procedures for establishing fire-fighting and rescue organisations, the fire-fighting and rescue equipment required by them, the types and number of fire-fighting and rescue vehicles, and also the number of firefighters dispatched to the site of the incident with one fire-fighting and rescue vehicle;

2) the fire-fighting and rescue equipment, the types and number of fire-fighting and rescue vehicles required by the State Fire and Rescue Service;

3) the education or training required for firefighters, and also the model training programmes.

Chapter II
Responsibility and Duties in the Field of Fire Safety

Section 4. Persons Responsible for Fire Safety

(1) The owner of an object shall be responsible for fire safety at the object if it is provided for in the management agreement.

(2) The lessee (tenant) or another user shall be responsible for fire safety at an object that has been leased (rented) or transferred for use if it is provided for in the agreement.

(3) The owner (possessor) or manager of an object shall be responsible for the operation of shared-use heating, ventilation, and power supply systems, fire safety and engineering systems (external and internal fire-fighting water supply systems, automatic and non-automatic fire protection systems), and equipment at an object leased or transferred for use to several persons in accordance with the requirements laid down in the technical specifications of the manufacturer and the laws and regulations governing fire safety if it is provided for in the management agreement.

(4) The performer of construction work shall be responsible for fire safety at an object where construction work takes place (hereinafter - the construction object). If there are several performers of construction work at a construction object, the responsibility shall lie with the main performer of construction work.

(5) The owner (possessor) or another user of a mineral extraction site, if it is provided for in the agreement, or another person holding a licence or permit for mineral extraction shall be responsible for fire safety at a mineral extraction site.

(6) The owner (possessor) or another user of a forest shall be responsible for fire safety at a forest object if it is provided for in the agreement.

Section 5. Duties of the Person Responsible for Fire Safety

(1) The person responsible for fire safety at an object has the following duties:

1) ensure compliance with fire safety requirements laid down in the laws and regulations;

2) provide the possibility to perform State fire safety supervision;

3) to provide the information related to fire safety issues if it is requested by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank;

4) to provide the information necessary for the assessment of the fire safety condition of the object in accordance with Section 13 of this Law;

5) to carry out the inspection of the operational condition of engineering systems of significance to fire safety if it is requested by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank who carries out a fire safety inspection.

(2) The person responsible for fire safety at a construction object and a mineral extraction site has the following duties:

1) ensure compliance with fire safety requirements laid down in the laws and regulations;

2) provide the possibility to perform State fire safety supervision;

3) to provide the information related to fire safety issues if it is requested by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank;

4) to carry out the inspection of the operational condition of engineering systems of significance to fire safety if it is requested by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank who carries out a fire safety inspection.

(3) The person responsible for fire safety at a forest object has the following duties:

1) to ensure the implementation of preventive measures;

2) to ensure compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in the laws and regulations and the requirements laid down for the forest fire-hazard period;

3) provide the possibility to perform State fire safety supervision;

4) to provide the information related to fire safety issues if it is requested by an official of the State Forest Service;

5) to follow the instructions of the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations in the event of a fire;

6) to supervise the site of forest fire after the fire has been extinguished if the forest object meets the criteria specified in laws and regulations;

7) to develop a forest fire safety plan and agree upon it with the State Forest Service at least once per calendar year if the forest property meets the criteria specified in laws and regulations;

8) to compensate the State Forest Service for expenditures and losses incurred in carrying out the supervision of the site of forest fire if the person responsible for fire safety at the forest object failed to perform the duty referred to in Clause 6 of this Paragraph.

Section 6. Duties and Requirements in the Field of Fire Safety

(1) Natural persons have the following duties:

1) to comply with the fire safety requirements laid down in the laws and regulations and to prevent an outbreak of fire;

2) when hearing a fire alarm signal or noticing a fire at an object, to immediately evacuate (except for the case when a natural person, as an employee at the object, has specific duties in accordance with the fire safety instruction and it is possible to perform them in the relevant situation);

3) in the event of a fire:

a) to notify the State Fire and Rescue Service by calling the common emergency telephone number 112 or using the mobile application "112 Latvija";

b) to inform the manager of the fire-fighting and rescue operations of persons who are present or might be present at the site endangered by fire, sites for fire-fighting water intakes of the object, and access roads, and also fire hazard, explosion hazard, and other dangerous factors;

4) to stop a mechanical vehicle at a forest object upon request of an official of the State Forest Service.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements to be met by natural and legal persons in order to prevent and successfully extinguish fires, and also to reduce the consequences thereof irrespective of the type of ownership and location of the object, including during the forest fire-hazard period.

(3) It is prohibited to place any objects, furniture, or equipment on evacuation routes if they reduce the width of the evacuation route specified in construction standards. It is prohibited to equip doors intended for evacuation with fasteners, shutters, locks, and other devices which prevent the doors from being opened within three seconds and hinder the evacuation of persons.

(4) It is prohibited to burn last year's dry grass.

Section 7. Provision of Fire Safety Services

(1) A fire safety service shall refer to:

1) the development of fire safety instructions;

2) the fire safety briefing;

3) the organisation of practical fire safety training;

4) the inspection of fire hydrants and the internal fire-fighting water main;

5) the technical maintenance and repair of fire protection systems;

6) the inspection of electrical installations (including earthing devices and lightning protection devices);

7) the inspection of the quality of contact connections of an electrical installation by using a thermal imaging camera;

8) the inspection of the technical condition of the smoke stack, heating facility and device, and gas appliance;

9) the inspection of the technical condition of the mechanical ventilation system;

10) the cleaning of the mechanical ventilation system;

11) the inspection of the technical condition of the natural ventilation duct;

12) the cleaning of the natural ventilation duct;

13) the maintenance and refilling of fire extinguishers;

14) the cleaning of the smoke stack;

15) the development of evacuation plans;

16) the evaluation of whether the fire safety solutions meet the fire safety requirements.

(2) A person with appropriate occupational preparedness is entitled to provided fire safety services. The Cabinet shall determine the occupational preparedness required for the provision of fire safety services, and also the types of objects to which the use of fire safety services shall apply.

(3) A person providing a fire safety service has the following duties:

1) to provide the fire safety service in accordance with the requirements laid down in laws and regulations;

2) to provide true and complete information related to the fire safety service if it is requested by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank;

3) to conclude a service contract.

[Paragraph two shall come into force on 1 January 2027 / See Paragraph 4 of Transitional Provisions]

Chapter III
State Fire Safety Supervision at Objects

Section 8. Carrying out of State Fire Safety Supervision at Objects

(1) State fire safety supervision at objects (except for forest objects) shall be carried out by officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service with special service ranks.

(2) State fire safety supervision at the objects of foreign diplomatic and consular missions, and also the objects of the National Armed Forces and State security institutions shall be carried out by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank on the basis of a written submission of the person responsible for the relevant object.

Section 9. Fire Safety Inspections at an Object

(1) Officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service with special service ranks shall carry out the planned and unplanned fire safety inspections within the scope of State fire safety supervision.

(2) Planned fire safety inspections are carried out according to the fire safety inspection plan of the State Fire and Rescue Service.

(3) Unplanned fire safety inspections shall be carried out on the basis of a written decision of the State Fire and Rescue Service. The abovementioned decision shall not be prepared if the fire safety inspection is initiated on the basis of a submission of the person responsible for the object.

Section 10. Duties and Rights of an Official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a Special Service Rank when Carrying Out State Fire Safety Supervision

(1) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank has the following duties:

1) to inform the person responsible for the object in advance of carrying out the planned fire safety inspection;

2) prior to commencing a fire safety inspection, to state his or her surname and position and present his or her service certificate to the person responsible for the object or his or her representative;

3) to notify the person responsible for the object or his or her representative of the decision on the unplanned fire safety inspection;

4) to notify the person responsible for the object in writing of the results of the fire safety inspection and to instruct him or her to rectify any violations of the fire safety requirements within the specified deadline;

5) to issue an opinion on compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations.

(2) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank has the following rights:

1) to verify compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations at the object;

2) to document any violations of the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations and information related to the fire safety issues by taking photographs and making audio and video recordings;

3) to request that the person responsible for the object or his or her representative presents an identity document, and also a representation document if a representative of the person responsible for the object participates in the fire safety inspection;

4) to suspend the operation of the object or construction work in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 11 of this Law;

5) to request and receive free of charge the information related to fire safety issues;

6) to request that the operational condition of engineering systems of significance to fire safety are inspected during the fire safety inspection.

Section 11. Suspension of Operation of an Object or Construction Work

(1) Prior to taking the decision on suspension of the operation of an object or construction work (hereinafter - the decision on suspension of operation), a warning on suspension of the operation of the object or construction work (hereinafter - the warning on suspension of the operation) shall be issued to the person responsible for the object, except for the cases referred to in Paragraph five of this Section.

(2) The detected violations of the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations shall be indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation, and a deadline for the rectification of those violations shall be determined, taking into account the time required for such rectification:

1) from two to five years, where the rectification of the violation requires reconstruction of the object;

2) from one to two years, where the rectification of the violation requires renovation of the object or its engineering systems;

3) from one month to one year and six months in other cases.

(3) The deadline for the rectification of the violations indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation may be extended for a period of up to two years if a justified submission for the extension of the deadline has been received.

(4) If the violations indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation have not been rectified within the established deadline, the decision on suspension of the operation shall be taken.

(5) The decision on suspension of the operation shall be taken without prior warning on suspension of the operation if:

1) violations of the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations have been detected which cause direct risks of fire or may endanger human health or life, or cause material damage, and the issuance of such decision immediately eliminates the abovementioned risks;

2) the responsible person has failed to ensure the performance of the fire safety inspection at the object for three times.

(6) The person responsible for the object shall inform the State Fire and Rescue Service of the rectification of the violations indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation or the decision on suspension of the operation in writing.

(7) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank shall, within five working days after receiving the information, verify whether the violations indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation or the decision on suspension of the operation have been rectified, and if it is established that:

1) the violations indicated in the warning on suspension of the operation have been rectified or have not been rectified, the person responsible for the object shall be notified thereof in writing;

2) the violations indicated in the decision on suspension of the operation have been rectified, the decision on resumption of the operation shall be taken.

(8) Contesting or appeal of the decision on suspension of the operation shall not suspend the operation of such decision.

Section 12. Unified Fire Safety and Civil Protection Platform

(1) The Unified Fire Safety and Civil Protection Platform (hereinafter - the Platform) is a State information system that ensures the circulation of information and documents necessary for the organisation, management, and control of State fire safety supervision activities, the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition of an object, and also the operation of a fire safety and civil protection risk assessment tool.

(2) The manager of the Platform shall be the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine:

1) the scope of information to be included on the Platform and the regulations on the inclusion, use, and storage of the information necessary to ensure the operation of the Platform, and also access to the information included on the Platform;

2) the objects which, by way of exception, need not submit information to the Platform for the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition.

Section 13. Assessment of the Fire Safety Condition

(1) The assessment of the fire safety condition is an indicative fire safety risk level generated by the Platform which has been determined depending on the compliance with the fire safety requirements and the duties laid down in laws and regulations at the relevant object and the fires that have occurred at the object.

(2) The information necessary for the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition shall be submitted online in the Platform by the person responsible for the object (except for the entities referred to in Section 4, Paragraphs four, five, and six of this Law, and also the persons responsible for motor roads (complex engineering structures) and the plots of land thereof) no later than by 31 December each year.

(3) The information necessary for the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition of an object that is leased (rented) or transferred for use shall be submitted in the Platform by the lessee (tenant) or other user if it is provided for in the agreement.

(4) The information necessary for the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition of an object leased or transferred for use to several persons shall be submitted in the Platform by the object owner (possessor) or manager if ensuring of compliance with the fire safety requirements is provided for in the management agreement.

(5) The assessment of the fire safety condition of the shared-use (joint property) part of a multi-apartment object shall be submitted by the community of apartment owners or the manager if ensuring of the fire safety requirements is provided for in the management agreement.

(6) The person responsible for an apartment forming part of a multi-apartment object or for a single-apartment object may submit the assessment of the fire safety condition on a voluntary basis.

Chapter IV
Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations

Section 14. Performance and Management of Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations

(1) Fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be managed by an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank, except for the cases referred to in Paragraph three of this Section and Section 23, Paragraph one of this Law. Until arrival of officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service, fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be performed by the services or organisations referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one, Clause 2, 3, 4, or 5 of this Law.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the State Fire and Rescue Service shall perform and manage the fire-fighting and rescue operations.

(3) In military training areas of the National Armed Forces, fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be managed by an official of the National Armed Forces until arrival at the incident site (military training area) of officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service who shall take over the management of fire-fighting and rescue operations.

(4) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be performed and managed in military training areas of the National Armed Forces.

(5) At the site of performance of fire-fighting or rescue operations, persons shall follow the instructions of the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations.

(6) No one has the right to interfere with activities of the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations and to revoke his or her lawful orders.

(7) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for recording fires and rescue operations performed, and also the scope and storage period of the information to be collected.

Section 15. Rights of an Official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a Special Service Rank when Performing the Duties of the Manager of Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations at an Object

(1) In order to stop and prevent further spread of fire and the associated dangerous factors which endanger natural persons, material valuables, and the environment or to eliminate obstacles hindering fire-fighting and the performance of rescue operations, the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations is entitled:

1) without the consent of the owner (possessor), to issue an order to:

a) enter an object or forest object;

b) move, demolish, or destroy buildings and parts thereof;

c) dismantle equipment;

d) move vehicles;

e) fell trees;

f) use, free of charge, the fire-fighting water intakes owned (possessed) by other persons;

g) engage, without compensation, technical resources owned or lawfully possessed by other persons at the object where fire-fighting and rescue operations are being performed;

2) with the consent of owners (possessors), use movable and immovable property of natural and legal persons in the performance of fire-fighting and rescue operations;

3) engage other services (such as the police, the gas emergency service, the electrical transmission network emergency service, the State Emergency Medical Service, the State Environmental Service) for ensuring public order, traffic control, organisation of evacuation, or taking other emergency measures at the site where fire-fighting and rescue operations are being performed;

4) request the closure of waterways and roads necessary for the performance of fire-fighting and rescue operations.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for compensating the expenditures and losses caused due to the involvement of the resources of natural or legal persons in fire-fighting or rescue operations.

Section 16. Rights of an Official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a Special Service Rank when Fulfilling the Orders of the Manager of Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations

An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank who performs fire-fighting and rescue operations in compliance with the orders of the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations has the following rights:

1) to enter objects in which hazardous factors are spreading or may spread or in which rescue operations are required;

2) to evacuate persons, animals, or material valuables from objects;

3) to demarcate the territory in which fire is being extinguished or rescue operations are being performed.

Section 17. Rights of Fire-fighting and Rescue Organisations

(1) The organisations referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one, Clause 3, 4, or 5 of this Law are entitled, when performing fire-fighting and rescue operations, without the consent of the owner (possessor):

1) to enter an object or forest object;

2) to move and demolish buildings and parts thereof;

3) to provide technical assistance to other services;

4) to move vehicles;

5) to fell trees.

(2) A firefighter shall not, when performing fire-fighting and rescue operations, be liable for material and physical damage caused in exercising the rights referred to in Paragraph one of this Section in accordance with the powers specified in laws and regulations.

Section 18. Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations at Special Objects

At special objects (in buildings of diplomatic and consular missions, on ships, in prisons, at other special objects), fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be performed in coordination with the manager of the relevant object or another responsible official.

Chapter V
Fire Safety and Fire-fighting at a Forest Object

Section 19. Forest Fire Safety Infrastructure Object

(1) A forest fire safety infrastructure object shall refer to a forest road, a fire-fighting water intake with access, a channel, a bridge, a fire observation tower and a compartment line suitable for moving specialised fire-fighting vehicles, a firebreak, a natural carriageway, or an excavation heap of an amelioration ditch which have been constructed within a forest object.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the criteria for the construction and maintenance of forest fire safety infrastructure objects, and also the procedures for their registration with the State Forest Register.

Section 20. Forest Fire-fighting Station

(1) A forest fire-fighting station shall refer to an organisational structural unit of the State Forest Service intended to ensure the performance of fire-fighting operations in a forest which is equipped with technical infrastructure, such as garages, vehicles intended for forest fire-fighting, including emergency vehicles, and fire-fighting inventory, and also with personnel whose main duty is to perform fire-fighting operations in a forest in a specific service area or according to an assignment.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the criteria for the establishment of a forest fire-fighting station and the material and technical, and human resources necessary to extinguish fires.

Section 21. Fire Safety Supervision at a Forest Object

(1) At forest objects (except for military training areas of the National Armed Forces), State fire safety supervision shall be carried out by officials of the State Forest Service.

(2) Officials of the State Forest Service shall carry out inspections of compliance with the forest fire safety plan and fire safety inspections at a forest object.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine the content of the information to be included in the forest fire safety plan, the criteria and procedures for the development of such a plan, and the procedures for coordinating it with the State Forest Service, and also shall determine the minimum equipment necessary for the person responsible for fire safety to carry out forest supervision after fire has been extinguished if the forest property meets the criteria specified in laws and regulations.

(4) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the State Forest Service shall develop an operational fire supervision plan for the forest fire-hazard period and the content of the information to be included in the plan.

(5) The supervision of the site of forest fire after fire has been extinguished shall be carried out by the person responsible for fire safety or the State Forest Service if the person responsible for fire safety is not reachable or refuses to perform this duty. The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for supervising the site of forest fire and the procedures for calculating and reimbursing the expenditures incurred by the State Forest Service when carrying out the supervision of the site of forest fire after fire has been extinguished instead of the person responsible for fire safety.

(6) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the assessment of losses caused to a forest in the event of a forest fire.

(7) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for compensating the expenditures and losses caused due to the involvement of the resources of natural and legal persons in fire extinguishing or rescue operations.

Section 22. Duties, Rights, and Responsibility of an Official of the State Forest Service when Carrying Out Fire Safety Supervision

(1) An official of the State Forest Service has the following duties:

1) to supervise compliance with the fire safety requirements;

2) to stop violations of the laws and regulations governing fire safety;

3) to notify the person responsible for fire safety of the results of the fire safety inspection;

4) to issue an opinion on compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations.

(2) An official of the State Forest Service has the following rights:

1) to verify compliance with the fire safety requirements laid down in laws and regulations;

2) to carry out inspections of forest fire safety infrastructure objects used for forest fire-fighting indicated in the forest fire safety plan;

3) to impose an obligation to construct and maintain, within a specified deadline, forest fire safety infrastructure at a forest object in accordance with the requirements laid down in laws and regulations in order to ensure forest fire-fighting;

4) to request and receive, free of charge, information from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre;

5) to stop mechanical land vehicles operating on forest land if there are reasonable grounds to suspect a violation of the laws and regulations governing fire safety. The official who stops a vehicle shall wear a uniform and identifying insignia;

6) to record the data necessary for the identification of persons, to make audio recordings, and also to photograph and film persons in order to ensure the collection and preservation of evidence during inspections.

Section 23. Management of Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations at a Forest Object

(1) At a forest object, fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be managed by an official of the State Forest Service. Until arrival of officials of the State Forest Service, fire-fighting and rescue operations shall be performed by the services or organisations referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one, Clause 1, 3, 4, or 5 of this Law.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the fire-fighting operations in a forest, including the procedures for the co-operation and division of competences between the State Forest Service and the State Fire and Rescue Service when they carry out fire containment and extinguishing operations at the site of fire in fire risk areas at a forest object.

Section 24. Rights of an Official of the State Forest Service when Performing the Duties of the Manager of Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations at a Forest Object

(1) In order to stop and prevent further spread of fire and the associated dangerous factors which endanger natural persons, material valuables, and the environment or to eliminate obstacles hindering fire-fighting and the performance of rescue operations, the manager of fire-fighting and rescue operations is entitled:

1) without the consent of the owner (possessor), to issue an order to:

a) enter an object or forest object;

b) move, demolish, or destroy buildings and parts thereof;

c) move vehicles and remove barriers on roads that hinder access to the site of fire;

d) access and use the water bodies owned or lawfully possessed by persons;

e) suspend forestry and logging operations;

f) fell trees if it is necessary for the creation of a fire protection zone or for access of a fire-fighting and rescue vehicle to the site of fire, and also for ensuring the operation of the forest fire-fighting infrastructure in the event of a fire;

g) restrict the movement of vehicles and persons;

2) to involve other authorities in ensuring public order, traffic control, organisation of evacuation, or taking other emergency measures at the site where fire-fighting and rescue operations are being performed;

3) to issue orders to any person present at the site where fire-fighting and rescue operations are being performed.

(2) The State Forest Service shall, within one week after the fire has been extinguished, notify the forest owner (possessor) or another user of the felling of trees if it is provided for in the relevant agreement.

(3) The officials of the State Forest Service shall not be liable for damage caused in exercising the rights and performing the duties specified in this Section.

Section 25. Professional Education in the Field of Forest Fire Safety and Fire-fighting

Professional education in the field of forest fire safety and fire-fighting shall be provided by accredited educational institutions. The content of professional education in the field of forest fire safety and fire-fighting shall be agreed upon with the State Forest Service.

[Section shall come into force from 1 September 2027 / See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Chapter VI
Tasks of Local Governments in the Field of Fire Safety and Fire-fighting

Section 26. Tasks and Rights of Local Governments in the Field of Fire Safety and Fire-fighting

(1) Tasks of local governments in the field of fire safety and fire-fighting are as follows:

1) to organise an external fire-fighting water supply in the territory of the local government;

2) to ensure access for the State Fire and Rescue Service to the information system for the administration of local government social assistance and social services;

3) to ensure the extinguishing of fires to the extent possible;

4) to ensure fire safety prevention to the extent possible;

5) upon request of the State Fire and Rescue Service, to inform it of the locations of external fire-fighting water supply points in the territory of the local government but, if such fire-fighting water supply points are being constructed, to inform it thereof within three months.

(2) If a local government ensures the performance of the tasks specified in Paragraph one, Clause 3 or 4 of this Section, it is entitled to conclude an agreement with the State Fire and Rescue Service on co-operation in fire-fighting and fire safety prevention. The agreement shall determine the measures to be taken by the local government, their scope, the procedures for their performance, and also the duties of the parties.

(3) If a local government ensures the performance of the tasks referred to in Paragraph one, Clause 3 or 4 of this Section, those tasks may also be performed by the organisations referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one, Clause 4 or 5 of this Law by concluding a tripartite agreement with the local government and the State Fire and Rescue Service or a bilateral agreement with the local government on co-operation in fire-fighting and fire safety prevention. The agreement shall specify the measures to be taken, their scope, the procedures for their performance, and also the duties of the parties.

Chapter VII
State Fire and Rescue Service

Section 27. Operational Principles the State Fire and Rescue Service

(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall, when fulfilling the functions specified thereto, protect the rights and lawful interests of persons in the field of fire safety, fire-fighting, rescue, and civil protection irrespective of the citizenship, social, property, and other status, race and nationality, gender, age, education, language, political, religious, and other convictions of such persons.

(2) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall not participate in measures for the prevention of political or international conflicts and civil disorders (except for fire-fighting and rescue operations related to the prevention of civil disorders).

(3) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank is prohibited from organising strikes and participating therein.

Section 28. International Relations of the State Fire and Rescue Service

(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall maintain professional relations with fire safety, fire-fighting, and rescue services and civil protection organisations of other countries, and also is entitled, according to the competence thereof, to enter into international co-operation agreements with the competent authorities of other countries.

(2) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall participate in the activities of international fire safety, fire-fighting, rescue, and civil protection organisations.

(3) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall, in conformity with the conditions of international agreements and according to its competence, co-operate with the competent authorities of other countries.

Section 29. Transfer for Use Free of Charge or Disposal Free of Charge of a Fire-fighting and Rescue Vehicle, Fire-fighting Equipment and Inventory to a Local Government

(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service and the State Forest Service is entitled, taking into account the results of the assessment of fire safety and civil protection risks or based on specific risk criteria, and also considering the previous involvement of a local government in fire-fighting, to transfer for use free of charge or disposal free of charge a fire-fighting and rescue vehicle or fire-fighting equipment and inventory to a local government that ensures the performance of fire-fighting and rescue operations and has informed the Service of the need for a fire-fighting and rescue vehicle or fire-fighting equipment and inventory for the performance of the task specified in Section 26, Paragraph one, Clause 3 of this Law.

(2) When transferring a fire-fighting and rescue vehicle or fire-fighting equipment and inventory to a local government for use free of charge, an agreement shall be concluded in this regard. The agreement shall be concluded for a term not exceeding five years. The local government shall ensure the maintenance, servicing, renewal, and repair of the fire-fighting and rescue vehicle or fire-fighting equipment and inventory and shall cover the costs related thereto.

(3) The local government is entitled to transfer for use free of charge the fire-fighting and rescue vehicle or fire-fighting equipment and inventory received from the State Fire and Rescue Service and the State Forest Service to the fire-fighting and rescue organisations referred to in Section 26, Paragraph three of this Law.

Section 30. Right of the State Fire and Rescue Service to Transfer a Property as a Gift (Donation)

(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service has the right to transfer as a gift (donation) a property that is not required for the performance of the functions of the Service if such property is necessary for the organisations referred to in Section 3, Paragraph one, Clause 5 of this Law or for the promotion of culture, art, science, education, sport, environmental, or health protection or social assistance.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures and conditions by which the State Fire and Rescue Service shall transfer a property as a gift (donation).

Section 31. Provision and Requesting of International Assistance from Countries with which the Republic of Latvia has an Internal Border

(1) The State Fire and Rescue service has the right to provide assistance in fire-fighting and rescue operations upon request of the fire-fighting and rescue services of those countries with which the Republic of Latvia has an internal border by involving own resources no later than 24 hours after receipt of the request if the State Fire and Rescue Service retains the capacity to perform its duties in the territory of the Republic of Latvia at the same time.

(2) After assessment of the usefulness and justification, the State Fire and Rescue Service has the right to request assistance in fire-fighting and rescue operations from the fire-fighting and rescue services of those countries with which the Republic of Latvia has an internal border.

(3) The decision on provision or requesting of the assistance referred to in Paragraphs one and two of this Section shall be taken by the chief of the State Fire and Rescue Service or his or her authorised official.

Section 32. Provision of an Apartment for an Official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a Special Service Rank

If an official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank is transferred to another populated area due to the interests of the Service, the local government may, upon request of the State Fire and Rescue Service, provide the official with living quarters in the relevant territory or in the vicinity thereof.

Section 33. Legal Protection of an Official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a Special Service Rank

(1) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank is a State official whose lawful requests that have been brought forward in performing service duties are mandatory to all natural and legal persons.

(2) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank shall be under State protection. His or her health, life, honour, and dignity are protected by the State.

(3) An official of the State Fire and Rescue Service with a special service rank shall not be liable for the material and physical damage caused during the performance of the service duties within the scope of his or her authority.

Chapter VIII
Administrative Offences in the Field of Fire Safety and Competence in Administrative Offence Proceedings

Section 34. Failure to Comply with Fire Safety Requirements

(1) For failure to comply with the fire safety requirements that has resulted in impeding the evacuation of persons, a fine from six to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine from fifty-six to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on a legal person.

(2) For failure to comply with the fire safety requirements at an object that has resulted in a fire, a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine from two hundred and eighty to eight hundred and sixty units of fine - on a legal person.

(3) For burning last year's dry grass, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine from two hundred and eighty to eight hundred and sixty units of fine - on a legal person.

(4) For failure to comply with the fire safety requirements at a forest object that has resulted in a fire, a warning or a fine of up to seventy units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine of up to one hundred and forty units of fine - on a legal person.

(5) For failure to comply with the fire safety requirements at a forest object that has resulted in a fire during the forest fire-hazard period, a fine from twelve to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine from twenty-eight to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on a legal person.

Section 35. Competence in Administrative Offence Proceedings

(1) Administrative offence proceedings for the offences referred to in Section 34, Paragraphs one and two of this Law shall be conducted by the State Fire and Rescue Service.

(2) Administrative offence proceedings for the administrative offence referred to in Section 34, Paragraph three of this Law shall be conducted by the State Police, the State Fire and Rescue Service, or the municipal police.

(3) Until examination of the case, the administrative offence proceedings for the offence referred to in Section 34, Paragraphs four and five of this Law shall be conducted by the State Forest Service or the municipal police. Administrative offence cases shall be examined by the State Forest Service.

Transitional Provisions

1. With the coming into force of this Law, the Fire Safety and Fire-fighting Law (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 2002, No. 23; 2003, Nos. 2, 13, 23; 2004, No. 9; 2005, Nos. 2, 14; 2006, No. 14; 2008, No. 3; Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2010, Nos. 21, 205; 2011, No. 58; 2012, No. 50; 2013, No. 142; 2019, No. 225; 2023, No. 54) is repealed.

2. The Cabinet shall, by 1 January 2027, issue the Cabinet regulations provided for in Section 3, Paragraph two, Section 6, Paragraph two, Section 7, Paragraph two, Section 12, Paragraph three, Section 14, Paragraphs two, four, and seven, Section 15, Paragraph two, Section 19, Paragraph two, Section 20, Paragraph two, Section 21, Paragraphs three, four, five, six, and seven, Section 23, Paragraph two, and Section 30, Paragraph two of this Law. The following Cabinet regulations shall be applied until the coming into force of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but not later than until 1 January 2027, insofar as they are not in contradiction with this Law:

1) Cabinet Regulation No. 639 of 11 November 2003, Procedures for Establishing Fire Safety, Fire-fighting, and Rescue Services of Institutions, Organisations, and Commercial Companies;

2) Cabinet Regulation No. 686 of 9 December 2003, Regulations Regarding the Functions and Rights of Fire Safety, Fire-fighting, and Rescue Services of Institutions, Organisations, Commercial Companies, and Local Governments;

3) Cabinet Regulation No. 674 of 3 August 2004, Regulations Regarding Explosive, Fire-Hazardous and Particularly Important Objects wherein Fire Safety, Fire-fighting and Rescue Services shall be Established;

4) Cabinet Regulation No. 118 of 14 February 2006, Procedures by which State and Local Government Authorities shall Participate in the Containment of Forest Fires;

5) Cabinet Regulation No. 420 of 10 June 2008, Regulations Regarding Fire-fighting Operations in a Forest and Procedures for the Co-operation of the State Forest Service and the State Fire and Rescue Service, when Performing Forest Fire Containment and Extinguishing Operations;

6) Cabinet Regulation No. 458 of 21 June 2011, Regulations Regarding the Appliances, Special and Technical Equipment Required by the State Fire and Rescue Service for Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations, and also the Standards Thereof;

7) Cabinet Regulation No. 279 of 17 April 2012, Regulations Regarding the Recording of Fires and Rescue Operations;

8) Cabinet Regulation No. 238 of 19 April 2016, Fire Safety Regulations;

9) Cabinet Regulation No. 297 of 17 May 2016, Procedures by which the State Fire and Rescue Service shall Perform and Manage the Fire-fighting and Rescue Operations.

3. The person referred to in Section 13 of this Law shall submit the information for the preparation of the assessment of the fire safety condition:

1) from 1 January 2027 regarding State and local government objects;

2) from 1 January 2028 regarding other objects.

4. Section 7, Paragraph two of this Law shall come into force on 1 January 2027.

5. Section 25 of this Law shall come into force on 1 September 2027.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 16 October 2025.

President E. Rinkēvičs

Rīga, 30 October 2025

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¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2026 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)