SALT LAKE CITY — Utah homeowners filled the Department of Natural Resources building in Salt Lake City Thursday, as they may soon face additional property fees and assessments related to wildfire mitigation.
The public meeting led by Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands was all about House Bill 48 passed by the legislature earlier this year.
These state fire officials say the increased severity and frequency of wildfires seen across the American West in recent years spurred Capitol Hill into action.
The bill focuses on the state’s wildland urban interface, or 'WUI'.
“This is the zone where structures and other urban development intermingles with undeveloped wildland,” said Joseph Anderson, who is coordinating implementation of the bill for FFSL.
Many live within this interface or have a second home. Earl and Margaret Miller own a property up Big Cottonwood Canyon.
“You know it’s not surprising with all the wildfires that have been in the news the past few years,” said Earl Miller.
Anderson explained the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands already conducted a study to identify areas of greatest risk in the intermingling zone - prompted by a previous piece of legislation, House Bill 437 in 2024.
Now, House Bill 48 passed in 2025 will set boundaries for those areas and make property owners take part in reducing the risks.
“It’s a little worrisome with what the costs are going to be, that’s one of our big concerns,” said Miller.
State fire officials say it will be a flat rate fee based on square footage at first.
“In the first two years of the program, we’re looking at between $20 and $100,” Anderson said.
But by 2028, property owners will need to have a lot assessment done on their home, and that will produce a triage scale with classifications from high risk to extreme risk.
Those classifications are based on how well the owner meets WUI code with home hardening and defensible space.
Anderson added those classifications will be shared with insurance companies - something that further worries homeowners.
“That’s always been a concern up there because of the way the canyon is,” said Margaret Miller. “It’s basically one way in and one way out.”
State leaders contend that they hope this creates a model for more well-informed quotes. But they acknowledged this could also lead homes within the interface to be deemed uninsurable.
These modifications will be implemented starting January 1st and state fire officials say they hope to start working on lot assessments by the spring of 2026.
