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County hears wildfire update; staff urges work group to prepare for House Bill 48 assessments
Summary
Forestry, Fire and State Lands reported recent local fires, statewide red-flag conditions and advised a work group to prepare for House Bill 48, which requires 2026 fee assessments for homeowners in high-risk wildland-urban interface areas.
Corey Auger, county fire warden with Forestry, Fire and State Lands, briefed the Daggett County Commission on wildfire operations, recent incidents and statutory changes affecting local fire governance on July 15.
Auger said recent local fires included a small, human-caused campfire near Deer Creek and a two-acre fire at Marshall Draw started by a UTV; both were contained with local and BLM resources. He warned commissioners that red-flag conditions, strong winds and the potential for dry lightning were expected in the coming days. "We've got a lot of red flag warnings, a lot of severe weather and winds," Auger said, and added that state aviation and task-force resources were being staged to assist the Uinta Basin if needed.
Auger described recent legislative changes and audit-driven updates to the Cooperative Wildfire System (CWS). He said the county remains ultimately responsible for certain cost-share obligations if cooperative agreements are not upheld by a fire district, even though operational elements may be delegated. "That agreement is with the county," he said, "but it can be delegated to the fire district operationally."
He recommended establishing a commission work group to examine House Bill 48, passed in March, which will require the county to assess fees on homeowners in the wildland-urban interface beginning in 2026. Auger described the elements still under development: the map of included areas, who will perform assessments, and how fee amounts will be calculated. He urged commissioners to schedule a briefing or work-group session so staff can present the implementation plan and options before fees appear on property tax rolls in 2026.
Commissioners discussed delegation of billing for the fire warden role, the mechanics of passing bills to the district, and the prospect of monthly briefings from Auger to keep the commission informed. The commission did not take a vote on policy at the meeting but asked staff to set up a work group and to provide updates on mapping and fee calculations.
