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Division of Forestry explains HB 48 red-flag rules and new burn-permit requirements to commissioners
Summary
Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands staff briefed Millard County commissioners Tuesday on House Bill 48 and changes to burn-permit and red-flag procedures affecting wildland-urban interface areas.
Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands staff spoke with Millard County commissioners Tuesday about House Bill 48 and related changes to burn and red-flag procedures for areas where wildland and urban development meet.
Copeland Anderson, acting fire warden with the Division, summarized the bill and explained that the state is mapping high‑risk wildland‑urban interface (WUI) areas. Under the new approach, property owners within mapped WUI zones will face a state-imposed fee in some implementations and the county will need to adopt a local wildland‑urban interface designation consistent with the state mapping. The division said the state will develop the maps and implementation details; county staff will be expected to apply the local implementation steps.
Why it matters: The county’s fire‑season and burn-permit practice will change. Division staff said that under recent legislation and rules tied to red-flag warnings (conditions with high winds and low relative humidity), burning is restricted on red-flag warning days and that, during declared fire season (June 1–Oct. 31), property owners must obtain a burn permit from the county fire warden. Outside the closed season, owners must at least notify dispatch when burning.
The acting fire warden said the division is preparing outreach materials and an online permit application with a QR code to make county burn permitting and notification easier. Staff also said certain exemptions remain in statute — for example, burns within 10 feet of irrigated ditches or cultivated ground may be exempt — and that local decisions on enforcement and mapping coordination will follow state guidance.
Several commissioners and attendees raised concerns about the practical effect of red-flag warnings that can cover wide weather zones; staff acknowledged some frustration in the farming community when a regional red-flag warning is declared while local winds are calm. Staff recommended education and early outreach to farmers and rural landowners and said the division will continue coordination with counties on implementation.
Next steps: The division will continue outreach and provide counties with mapping and permitting guidance. County staff said they will incorporate the new permitting process and public outreach before the June 1 fire season start.
