Why Salt Lake City is working to make big changes to its wildland

Utah’s capital city is another step closer to adopting a new fire code for homes and properties next to areas most prone to wildfires.

However, Salt Lake City’s proposed zoning text amendment — required to comply with a new state law — is also stoking fears from homeowners who are concerned that insurance companies could drop coverage of their homes, or that management of public land next to them puts them at risk.

The Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the proposed change, which requires certain building materials and defensible space regulations to reduce risks at hundreds of parcels across the city. The Salt Lake City Council has until the end of the year to finalize the map.

A state-mandated code

The measure follows code required through th