Bluff council adopts Wildland Urban Interface map to enable targeted fireworks limits

Mayor Josh Ewing presided over the Bluff Town Council’s unanimous July 7 vote to adopt a Wildland Urban Interface overlay map and ordinance intended to align the town’s residential and business zoning with state WUI designations.

Council members said the map will allow the town to apply WUI regulations where state law permits. Ewing noted that some areas are designated Zone 4 under state code and therefore require state approval before the town can include them in a town-designated WUI zone; he said he has requested that approval and is optimistic it will be granted. The council tied the map directly to public-safety measures related to fireworks ahead of Pioneer Day.

The ordinance was presented as a means of local compliance and flexibility. As the council discussed the measure, staff and members emphasized that the town’s ordinance is written to allow adoption of the 2024 WUI code when the state implements it, while remaining operable under current state rules.

"Statements cannot be made stating 'no fireworks in our town', however, statements can be made stating, 'no fireworks in the Wildland Urban Interface'," a council discussion noted during deliberations.

The ordinance was approved by roll-call vote with councilmembers Britt Hornsby, Jennifer Davila, Spencer Wade, Gary Haws and Mayor Ewing voting in favor. The decision establishes a local zoning-based mechanism for targeted fire-safety rules and sets up follow-up work to obtain any required state approvals.