County fire marshal proposes code changes to ease compliance and allow fire‑rated vents; chiefs warn of severe season

Utah County’s fire marshal presented proposed revisions to the county’s fire-prevention code designed to give builders and homeowners more options to meet wildland-urban interface protections, and county and state officials warned the region could face a worse-than-usual fire season.

Kirk Bertelsen, county fire marshal, told commissioners the proposed ordinance changes would amend county code (referenced in the meeting as subsections beginning with 9-6-4) to allow a noncombustible option for eave protection — in addition to the current 3/4-inch solid material requirement — and to permit approved fire-rated attic vents. Bertelsen said the changes align with provisions in the International Wildland-Urban Interface code and that noncombustible materials such as fiber-cement board can be more affordable and offer better protection in some cases. He described vendor demonstrations in which fire-rated vents with a ceramic honeycomb and mesh resisted heat from a propane torch and blocked sparks while still allowing attic ventilation.

Commissioners asked whether vents would allow embers into attics; Bertelsen said modern fire-rated vents are designed to dissipate heat and capture sparks. He said the changes would apply to residences and certain commercial buildings in the wildland-urban interface; ag buildings are exempt. Existing structures would be grandfathered unless a builder proactively sought an approved change for new plans.

Utah County Fire Chief Patrick Carlson and other local and state officials briefed the commission separately on wildfire preparedness. Carlson described the county’s mitigation and suppression programs, noted seasonal staffing constraints tied to layoff dates for seasonal personnel, and said last year was among the busiest of his 20-year career. He said crews and training were ramping up but predicted the coming season could be worse. The county’s fuel mitigation efforts include assistance to cities with chipper days and other programs; Carlson said the county tries to support municipalities when resources allow.

Dave Vickers, Wasatch Front Area Fire Management Officer for the state, told commissioners the state will be renegotiating cooperative agreements and the county’s warden agreement needs updating after state legislative changes referenced during the meeting (House Bill 65). Vickers said Utah County is one of the state’s most active fire areas and emphasized the importance of clarified responsibilities, funding, and incident-command coordination.

Public Works staff described using a county dozer with a fire package during recent fires and discussed the possibility of buying a second dozer, with caveats about staffing and training during fire season. Commissioners asked staff to continue coordination with the state and to return ordinance language for formal consideration at a future agenda meeting.

The commission did not adopt the code changes at Wednesday’s session; staff was asked to bring the ordinance forward on a future agenda with full proposed language and the supporting tests and documentation.

Representative quote: “They took a propane torch and put it on the bottom of the vent and then had you hold your hand at the top and you can't feel heat,” County Fire Marshal Kirk Bertelsen said describing the demonstration.