(a) No person, by means of fire or explosion, shall knowingly cause or create a substantial risk of physical harm to any property of another without the other person's consent.
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of arson, a misdemeanor of the first degree, and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 698.02. If the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more, or if the offender's purpose is to defraud, or if the property involved is a courthouse, school building or other building or structure that is owned or controlled by the State, any political subdivision, or any department, agency or instrumentality of the State or a political subdivision, and that is used for public purposes, or if the risk is caused or created through the offer or the acceptance of an agreement for hire or other consideration, to any property of another without the other person's consent or to any property of the offender or another with purpose to defraud, or if the property is a park, preserve, wildlands, brush-covered land, cut-over land, forest, timberland, greenlands, woods or similar property that is owned or controlled by another person, the State or a political subdivision, then whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony and shall be prosecuted under Ohio R.C. 2909.03. (ORC 2909.03)