Fire Bills Passed During the 2025 Utah Legislative Session
Legend
Bird icon: Early Bird
Moon icon: Latecomer
Gavel icon: Unanimous Votes
Binoculars icon: Media Attention
HB0048 | Wildland Urban Interface Modifications
Snider, C.
This bill requires counties to assess a fee for properties in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), which will be deposited into a county fund for wildfire prevention, preparedness, and mitigation costs. It also required insurance agencies to use only the state’s definition of the WUI.
HB0053 | Litter Cleanup Amendments
Ivory, K.
This bill created the Litter Abatement Expendable Special Revenue Fund to help keep Utah’s highways clean. This also made throwing any lighted material like cigarettes or fireworks from a moving vehicle a class C misdemeanor.
HB0065 | Firefighter Cancer Amendments
Snider, C.
This bill expanded the list of cancers that presumptively arise from service as a firefighter and provided cancer screenings to firefighters.
HB0212 | Advanced Transmission Technologies
Watkins, C.
The bill updates the Energy Resource Procurement Act to require large-scale electric utilities to consider and report on advanced transmission technologies. These software and hardware technologies are designed to enhance the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of transmission lines, energy storage systems, and the broader transmission grid. The bill also includes reporting on technologies that may reduce the risk of igniting wildfires.
HB0307 | Wildfire Funding Amendments
Snider, C.
This bill consolidated multiple existing funds into the new Utah Wildfire Fund, which will be used to pay wildfire costs and invest in wildfire prevention. It authorized the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to accept responsibility for managing a wildfire, and establish criteria for community wildfire preparedness plans in the wildland-urban interface. The law establishes minimum spending levels on fire prevention each year. A one-time investment of $150 million for FY- 2026 supports these efforts.
HB0501 | Law Enforcement Salary Amendments
Wilcox, R.
This bill required Utah’s Human Resources Division to conduct a comprehensive salary survey for Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officers and wildland firefighters. It established clear salary ranges for different classifications, outlined minimum qualifications for each, and asked HR to make recommendations on future funding needs and pay adjustments.
SB0030 | Forest Fire Resources Compact Amendments
Owens, D.R.
This bill authorized Utah’s governor to join the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact, a multi-state agreement designed to enhance cooperation in preventing and fighting forest fires across the Great Plains region. The compact allows participating states—such as South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado—to offer mutual aid during wildfires, sharing resources, personnel, and equipment. It ensures that out-of-state firefighters receive the same legal protections as local crews, clarifies liability and reimbursement processes, and allows the U.S. Forest Service to participate in compact meetings.