10/29/2025
Below is some information concerning the new House Bill 48 that was passed by the Utah State Legislature. The State of Utah and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands are currently developing the program and are in the process of holding public meeting on this program. The meeting for the Northern area will be held Thursday November 6th, 2025 in Salt Lake City in person or follow the link below to attend on line.
Utah House Bill 48 (HB 48) is a law that modifies regulations for property in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) to address and mitigate wildfire risk. Titled the "Wildland Urban Interface Modifications" bill, it was passed during the 2025 legislative session and will take effect on January 1, 2026.
The law creates new standards, assessments, and fees for homeowners and includes new requirements for insurance companies. It aims to shift the state's wildfire strategy from reactive suppression to proactive mitigation.
Key provisions of HB 48
Wildfire risk assessments and fees:
High-risk properties: The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands will create a new, Utah-specific mapping tool to designate high-risk WUI properties. Homeowners in these areas will be subject to assessments and fees.
Property evaluation: A wildland urban interface coordinator will evaluate and classify high-risk properties using a triage scale to determine the fee amount.
Fee collection: The fees will be assessed and collected by counties and deposited into a Wildland-urban Interface Prevention, Preparedness, and Mitigation Fund.
Fee reduction: Homeowners can reduce their fee by completing recommended mitigation actions on their property.
Timeline:
For 2026 and 2027, the fee will be a flat rate based on the square footage of the structure.
Starting in 2028, the fee will be based on the property's triage assessment and square footage.
Insurance requirements:
State mapping tool: Insurance companies must use the new state-provided wildfire risk assessment map to determine if a property is in a high-risk WUI zone. They may use additional data for rate-setting.
Increased transparency: If an insurer cancels, non-renews, or increases a premium by more than 20% due to wildfire risk, they must provide the insured with a clear explanation of the facts behind their decision.
Data access: Starting in 2028, insurers will have access to a state database that provides the triage classification for high-risk WUI properties.
Municipal and county obligations:
Local governments must adopt and enforce the Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code by January 1, 2026, which outlines fire safety standards for building and landscaping.
Homeowner actions:
Assessments are not mandatory, but homeowners can opt out and be charged the highest fee. Alternatively, they can hire a state-certified private assessor.
Homeowners can lower their fees by taking proactive steps, such as creating defensible space and "home hardening" with fire-resistant materials.
HB48 Public Meeting Lake City
Thursday, November 6 · 18:00 – 19:30
Time zone: America/Denver
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jhx-hrzd-nrn
Or dial: (US) +1 352-571-2214 PIN: 158 395 962 #
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/jhx-hrzd-nrn?pin=6383862123858
