In the hope of avoiding wildfire devastation like what was seen in California, the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 48 in 2025 to designate zones with an increased risk of wildfires. The bill intends to increase awareness of wildfire risks and have property owners help reduce that danger.

Cities were required to adopt a Wildland Urban Interface map by Jan. 1, 2026, and to update local building codes to comply with the mandate. After weeks of discussion and public comment, the Holladay City Council approved a WUI map on Dec. 4.

“The map has an identification and theme that is going to be the structure exposure score. So it’s a way to look at the structure exposure scores around embercasting,” said Unified Fire Authority Fire Marshal Wade Watkins. “So if you see a wildland fire able to burn a hillside or burn vegetation and cast those embers, that’s embercasting.”

Holladay neighborhoods affected by the law are located east of I-215 and include more than 300 homes. Initially, about 100 additional homes on the west side of I-215 were included on the WUI map but were later withdrawn following resident input and discussions with UFA and city officials. 

Existing structures in the designated zones will not be affected by the new law, unless those property owners decide to make an addition, repair or alteration to the property. At that point, the code will require the owner to be responsible for removing trees and vegetation, and using upgraded materials in buildings and structures. 

Any new construction in the WUI area will need to meet the higher standards spelled out in the 2006 Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code. The bill also requires insurers to provide justification when raising rates by more than 20% or dropping coverage for homes in the zone. 

Councilmember Ty Brewer pointed out that while the WUI map addresses obvious risks from wildfire in the Wasatch Mountains, other places in the tree-dense city could be considered at risk, and homeowners throughout Holladay should be made aware of the fire danger and options available.

“When I built my home on Big Cottonwood Creek, it didn’t even cross my mind to think about defensible space and the [fire] risk along the creek, with the tree canopy and everything that’s there,” Brewer said. “I hate to add bloat to what might seem bureaucratic, but I don’t think it is. I think an important role that the government plays is to help people think about things they might not otherwise think about.”

Fire mitigation advice for any city property includes keeping weeds and grass cut, removing dead vegetation, disposing of trash and debris, and stacking firewood away from structures or fences. A list of fire wise solutions can be found at unifiedfireut.gov.

Property owners in a high-risk WUI boundary will also be assessed a fee based on the square footage of the structure. Salt Lake County will collect the payment through property taxes. Owners can request a lot assessment through the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to receive recommendations for ways they can reduce wildfire risk.

City officials are creating a webpage infographic to accompany the new code, educating all residents of wildfire risks, whether or not their property is within the WUI overlay zone. The WUI overlay zone and building code information will also be added to the Holladay City Code on its website holladayut.gov.