Hundreds of Cottonwood Heights and Holladay homeowners will see a new fee on their property tax bills this fall, and those who don't request a free state wildfire assessment will automatically be classified at the highest risk level.

The fee stems from HB48, a law passed during the 2025 legislative session that overhauled how Utah maps and scores wildfire risk. Cottonwood Heights adopted a new Wildland Urban Interface code and map in November 2025 to comply. Holladay held public hearings on a WUI overlay zone the same month. The state is now rolling out the assessment program that determines how much each homeowner pays.

"A lot of homeowners in the wildfire-prone areas were losing insurance, or their rates were increasing a lot," Joseph Anderson of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands told the Salt Lake Tribune. "So part of the intent of this law was to help provide insurers with more accurate information about wildfire risk."

Who pays and how much

Properties within the state's High-Risk WUI boundary will be assessed an annual fee based on the square footage of taxable structures, according to Anderson. The exact dollar amount has not been finalized.

The High-Risk WUI boundary is drawn using a Structure Exposure Score of 7 or higher on a 10-class scale generated by FFSL's wildfire simulation models. That threshold is more restrictive than the local WUI overlay zones both cities established.

Holladay's WUI Overlay Zone covers approximately 433 houses at a Structure Exposure Score of 5 and above, according to [city mapping documents](https://holladayut.gov/Document Center/Agendas And Minutes/Public Notice/WUI PH notice.web.pdf) presented at a November 20, 2025 public hearing. The subset of those homes that fall within the state's High-Risk boundary and will actually be assessed the fee is smaller, though no parcel count has been published.

The fee is assessed by the state through Salt Lake County. At an October 23, 2025 work session, Holladay Community and Economic Development Director Jonathan Teerlink confirmed the City of Holladay does not assess the fee and will not receive any of that money.

The default is highest risk

Homeowners inside the High-Risk WUI boundary who do not request an assessment are automatically classified at the highest wildfire risk level, according to Anderson. That classification could make it harder to find affordable homeowners insurance, though the law does not require insurers to lower rates even after a homeowner completes mitigation.

Statewide, about 60,000 parcels remain in WUI zones after the state's new computer modeling removed 160,000 people from previously drawn boundaries.

Jared Whittaker, a senior vice president at the Leavitt Group insurance brokerage, said an assessment might not reduce premiums but could help a homeowner find coverage on the standard market. He recommended sharing the assessment with an insurer along with photos and video documentation.

How to get assessed

Homeowners can request a free assessment online through FFSL. The evaluation covers roof and siding materials and the first 100 feet of defensible space around a home. Residents can also check whether their property falls within the High-Risk WUI boundary at the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal on the state's website.

The state is still finalizing certification for local fire departments and state employees to conduct the standardized assessments, Anderson said, but homeowners can submit a request now.

Local action already taken

Cottonwood Heights adopted Ordinance No. 450 on November 18, 2025, by a unanimous 5-0 vote of Mayor Michael T. Weichers and council members Matt Holton, Suzanne Hyland, Shawn E. Newell, and Ellen Birrell. The ordinance adopted the Utah WUI Code and a local WUI map.

Holladay held its WUI overlay public hearing on November 20, 2025. Resident Alan Eastman, a University of Utah Extension instructor who co-taught a class on urban wildland interface wildfires, suggested the city consider rebating the state fee to homeowners after they complete mitigation, calling WUI-zone homes "essentially a fire break for the rest of Holladay."

The Unified Fire Authority, which serves both cities, was involved in the WUI mapping process. UFA Fire Marshal Wade Watkins presented HB48 requirements to the Holladay City Council in October 2025.

As we reported July 28, both cities have been tightening wildfire protections through WUI building codes and UFA fuel-mitigation work.

What's next

Cottonwood Heights holds a Truth in Taxation public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 11, at city hall, 2277 East Bengal Blvd. Virtual participation is available. Residents with questions about the new fee or wildfire risk classifications can weigh in there or contact the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands directly.