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State official outlines House Bill 48 high-risk WUI map, voluntary lot assessments and postponed fee timeline
Summary
Justin Roach (FFSL) explained House Bill 48's requirement for a statewide high-risk WUI layer (top 5% of homes), the voluntary lot-assessment program, how insurers must use the state map, and a postponed fee-collection start date of Jan. 1, 2027.
Justin Roach of the Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands gave a detailed summary of the state-level program created by House Bill 48 and how it will affect homeowners, counties and insurers.
What House Bill 48 does: Roach said FFSL is required to create a statewide high-risk WUI boundary that identifies the top 5% of homes most at risk of wildfire; insurance companies must use the state map rather than unilateral carrier-defined risk maps. "It restricts the insurance companies to use the state's map when labeling something high risk WUI," Roach said.
Lot assessments and fees: Roach described the lot-assessment program as voluntary and encouraged homeowners to get assessed by certified WUI coordinators. He explained the provisional 2027 fee model (a fixed annual fee for taxable structures: $20 for up to 3,000 sq ft; $60 for 3,000'2,999 sq ft; $100 for 6,000+ sq ft) and said counties may collect those fees beginning Jan. 1, 2027 (a one-year postponement from earlier expectations). Roach also described a planned 2028 transition to a square-footage/triage-score-based fee model once assessments are complete.
Appeals and local roles: Roach outlined appeals timelines (property owners: 45 days to appeal an assessment; counties: 30 days to appeal the high-risk map) and said municipalities and counties must adopt and enforce the 2024 WUI code within two years. He noted FFSL will rely on county and municipal partners to assist in performing a large number of assessments because the division's internal staff is limited.
Insurance and transparency: Roach said the bill requires insurers to be transparent if they drop coverage or increase rates by 20% or more and suggested homeowners first consult their insurance broker and, if unresolved, contact the Utah Insurance Department for review.
Takeaway: The program aims to increase structure survivability, reduce conflagration risk, and create consistent statewide standards; some elements (fee amounts, assessment criteria) will be refined as the program moves toward implementation.
