Utah wildland-urban interface code implementation program
Headwaters Economics is helping Utah communities adopt and implement the state’s new Wildland Urban Interface Code by offering free technical assistance to city and county governments and councils of governments.
Utah recently passed an ambitious wildfire building code that aims to protect communities and keep home insurance markets functioning by requiring stricter building and landscaping standards in wildfire-prone areas. Yet many of Utah’s smaller and rural communities lack the planning staff or wildfire expertise to implement the new code. To close this gap, Headwaters Economics’ Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) program is offering free, hands-on technical assistance to help these communities draft code language, incorporate local knowledge into wildfire risk maps, and create real pathways to implementation.
The program is modeled on a similar effort in Colorado and grounded in the findings that shared challenges can lead to shared solutions, that one community’s hard-won progress can jump-start another’s, and that free, targeted technical assistance will help under-resourced communities protect homes and neighborhoods from wildfire.
Eligibility
This is a free technical assistance program available to city, county and regional councils of governments in Utah. Any official or staff member of interested communities can apply by the application deadline of November 30, 2026. Not all communities that apply will be selected. Preference will be given to communities with minimal or no existing wildland-urban interface codes or building codes.
Program overview
From January to June 2027, CPAW will work with select Utah communities to support integration of the new code, including guidance and assistance with:
- Incorporating new code language and modifying existing code language to comply with the new WUI code
- Generating a new wildfire risk map or amending the state’s map
- Enforcement of the new code
- Public engagement and communications around the new code
- Development of intergovernmental agreements for code enforcement
This program will focus on the adoption of community-wide WUI codes, as required by state law, and the development of local wildfire risk maps. This program is not intended to help communities manage the fee assessment program established by the state of Utah for the very high wildfire risk boundary areas.
Community resources
for adopting Utah’s Wildfire Resiliency Code
CPAW is making the resources generated for this program publicly available to all communities that might need them.
This program is affiliated with Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW), a program of Headwaters Economics. CPAW provides land use planning solutions, communications assistance, and customized research to better understand and manage wildfire-prone areas and reduce risk. CPAW services are provided free to selected communities, and all recommendations are adopted at the discretion of the community.
Application
Questions?
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