On November 6, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands (FFSL) held a public meeting to discuss the upcoming of implementation of House Bill 48, a fee and enforcement imposed by the State Legislature to improve defensible space in Wildland Urban Interface (also known as the WUI).
If you don't find the information you're looking for below, an FAQ from the State is also available at https://ffsl.utah.gov/wuirisk/.
Before we get into the recap from this meeting, we want to stress that there are still many details to be finalized moving forward. Here’s what we’ve learned so far
For some background, the WUI is the area where development meets or intermingles with wildland. These zones are more prone to wildfires and require specific safety measures and mitigation strategies.
In addition to wildfire prevention efforts, the intent of HB 48 and the WUI code may be a tool in the future to prevent insurance companies from dropping coverage of properties in high risk WUI areas by providing a means for residents to take documented and certified measures to protect their property from wildfire risk.
Although this is a state law, municipalities such as counties and cities will be responsible for adopting and enforcing the WUI code.
Counties and cities are required to adopt this law by January 1, 2026 and will then work to produce a WUI boundary map for their area. The state is also working on a high-risk boundary map for all of Utah that has not been finalized at this time.
Beginning next year, FFSL will send notices to property owners in the high risk area.
Fees
In 2026 and 2027, there will be a flat fee between $20 to $100 dollars based on the square footage of every taxable structure on a property. This fee will be the same regardless of any wildfire prevention work you’ve done on a property.
While the fee schedule has not been finalized by Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, here’s a summary of the current proposals:
- Structures up to 1500 sq ft. will be charged $20
- Structures up to 3000 sq ft will be charged $40
- Structures up to 4500 sq ft will be charged $60
- Structures up to 6000 sq ft will be charged $80
- Structures beyond 6000 sq ft will be charged $100.
Beginning in 2028, the fees for properties in the high-risk WUI area (still to be defined) will be based on a Lot Assessment conducted by a certified WUI coordinator from the state, county, or city. The fee schedule will likely change to be based around the annual costs of implementing the WUI code.
Residents will not be charged for Lot Assessments directly, as the fee set by FFSL is meant to fund the cost. Fees will be collected by the county and given to the Utah Wildfire Fund with exact details based on agreements with each county. Fees can only be used to cover the cost of Lot Assessments, mapping, database softwares and other needs to implement the WUI code. The county may keep a portion of this fee to cover these direct costs.
Lot Assessments
Lot Assessments must be voluntarily requested by the property owner. Neither the state nor municipalities have the authority to conduct a lot assessment on private property without the permission of the property owner.
Any type of Lot Assessment done before the program begins in 2026 or not conducted by a certified WUI coordinator will not count.
Properties that choose not to undergo a Lot Assessment will be classified at the highest risk level, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
The two main areas of focus for the lot assessment will be looking at the defensible space around structures and home hardening methods (such as the type of siding or roofing a structure has).
This assessment results in a triage score, based on the WUI code in HB 48 and national “Firewise” standards.
- A Classification III score is the most extreme, meaning a property is not fully compliant with survival space or home hardening measures.
- A Classification II score means a property has survivable space but not home hardening.
- A Classification I means a property is still in the high risk area but has done everything to be compliant with WUI code.
As risk is reduced, the fee for property owners is also reduced. After a Lot Assessment is conducted, homeowners will receive a full assessment report and can self certify improvements to their property.
Property owners may appeal the results of their Lot Assessment or their score within 45 days of the assessment being conducted and include evidence of why they think the results were wrong.
Data
Information from property Lot Assessments will be given to property owners, Counties and FFSL.
Insurance companies will only be able to see the triage score but not the full assessment.
Stay tuned as more information and clarity on HB 48 and the WUI code becomes available from Forestry Fire and State Lands. As Summit County works to understand the implications of this new law, we will keep residents informed.