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Castle Valley council hears briefing on state wildfire cooperative agreement, flags enforcement costs
Summary
Castle Valley officials heard a briefing from the Grand County Fire Warden about a proposed 2026 cooperative agreement with Utah FFSL that would cover initial-attack wildfire costs (the state covers the first $5,000) but raises local enforcement and cost-recovery questions; council will update its MOU with the fire district before proceeding.
Bruce Jenkins, Grand County Fire Warden, told the Castle Valley Town Council on Feb. 18 that a proposed 2026 Participating Entity Cooperative Agreement with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) would provide initial-attack support for catastrophic wildfires and that "the first $5000 cost is covered by the State; after that point there can be federal funds thresholds." Jenkins said the Town qualifies for the program based on its Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan (CWPP) and the Town Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Jenkins said participation in the state program requires commitments to mitigation, preparedness and prevention. He told the council that in 2025 the Town had zero cost because participation commitments consisted of in-kind work such as chipping, parade participation and outreach. Jenkins added that non–Red Card firefighters may perform initial attack duties but must defer to other agencies once they arrive on scene.
Mayor Duncan and Council Member Holland raised practical concerns about local enforcement and cost exposure. Mayor Duncan said the Town recently adopted the WUI building code in response to HB 48 and must now map where that code applies; he also said the Town "will need to update the MOU with the CV Fire District" to reflect operational responsibilities. Council members asked how the Town would pursue code violations, cover legal costs, and pay for firefighting expenses not covered by the agreement or that exceed program thresholds.
The briefing did not include a formal council vote on the cooperative agreement. Jenkins' presentation and the council's questions set a path for staff to prepare or revise memoranda of understanding and to return with more details on enforcement mechanisms, cost-sharing scenarios and maps showing the WUI boundary.
Next steps: staff will work with the CV Fire District on an updated MOU, and the council indicated it wants clearer estimates of possible out-of-pocket costs and enforcement options before committing to specific participation terms.
