(1) Forest lands with trees destroyed by natural disaster are eligible for a 50 percent reduction in assessed value for 20 tax years beginning the first full tax year following the natural disaster. The affected forest land must have been classified as forest land under 15-6-143, MCA, and had ten percent or greater stocking prior to the natural disaster, and less than ten percent stocking of live trees after the natural disaster.

(2) The property owner must submit the natural disaster reduction request to the department on a Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review, Form AB-26.

(a) A Form AB-26 submitted in the year the natural disaster occurred or during the first full year following the natural disaster, and the reduction is approved, the property owner will receive the 50 percent reduction in assessed value for 20 years.

(b) A Form AB-26 submitted in any subsequent year after the first full year following the natural disaster, and the reduction is approved, the property owner will receive the 50 percent reduction for the year the Form AB-26 was submitted and the remaining years of the 20-year reduction period.

(3) The following information must be included on the Form AB-26:

(a) property owner's name, current mailing address, and phone number;

(b) date of application;

(c) legal description of the property where the natural disaster occurred;

(d) type of natural disaster;

(e) approximate size of forest land affected by the natural disaster;

(f) date the natural disaster occurred; and

(g) description of the damage to the timber stocking on the forest land affected by the natural disaster.