2019 Council Meeting Minutes
2019 Council Meeting Minutes
Interlaken and the Wildland Urban Interface
Wildfires - The Wildland Urban Interface and Interlaken Town
We are incredibly fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful towns in Utah, but with that beauty comes a serious wildfire risk. Interlaken Town is located within the state designated Wildland Urban Interface. And a large portion of our town is currently at a high-risk for wildfires according to the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) maps.​
With the passage of House Bill 48, to remain eligible for wildfire fighting support from the Wasatch County Fire District, Interlaken was required to adopt the latest edition of the WUI code, currently from 2006, and the state supplied High Risk Wildfire Map provided by FFSL. The WUI Code includes specifications for building materials, defensible space, placement of electrical lines, and other construction and use activities. Here are links to the Interlaken ordinance adopting the WUI Code and the 2006 Utah Wildland-Urban Interface Code:
The State FFSL (Dept. of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands) has constructed a map that designates High Risk Wildfire areas, and Interlaken has many of its homes located in those areas. Use these maps to determine if your home is located within the High Risk area. The maps use different background layers. The "searchable" map allows you to enter your street address, and find your home on the map.
Wildfire Threats - How Does this Impact Interlaken Homeowners?
The threat of wildfires is a very real aspect of living in a rural mountainous community like Interlaken, as evidenced by the Saddle Fire in May 2020 in neighboring Wasatch Mountain State Park. Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Wasatch Fire District and other firefighting agencies, the fire was contained and suppressed quickly without spreading into our town.
Interlaken has worked with Wasatch Fire District for several years, entering into a cooperative agreement in 2018 to codify WFD fire fighting services, and our town's commitment towards managing risks:
At a meeting in March 2026, WFD shared a video about the biggest threat in wildfire containment - ember storms. As you can see in the video below, wildfires can spread easily even without burnable fuel in their path, through the propagation of wind born embers:
The WUI Zone and High Risk WUI Boundary
Interlaken is entirely within the WUI, and most of the town is rated high risk. According to the current WUI code, it doesn’t matter when your home was built, you’d have to comply with the firewise code regarding construction materials and defensible space, or risk losing insurance coverage in the event of a fire. In 2026 and 2027 homes within the designated wildland urban interface high risk area will be charged a standard fee ranging from $20 to $100 based on square footage of taxable structures. Starting in 2028, homes will be assessed a fee based on a risk assessment and the size of the home. These funds will be collected through Wasatch County taxes as a contribution towards fire prevention and fire fighting expenses, and the operation of a state-wide fire prevention program run by FFSL.
There is an important distinction between the WUI Zone (all of Interlaken) and the High Risk WUI Zone (areas designated by the maps referenced above). All of Interlaken is subject to the FireWise Building standards and other requirements set by the 2006 Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code. Properties designated as High Risk will be assessed the annual fee. This document provided by the state DNR describes the differences:
What Homeowners Need to Do
(1) First and foremost, you need to create defensible space around your home. The FireWise landscaping guide provides useful information for creating defensible space around your home:
2) Sign up for emergency alerts from the Wasatch Fire District and Interlaken Town. The Town Administrator collects contact information from lot owners and residents for emergency messaging. Check with the administrator to make sure your phone and email information is correct, and include your renter's contact information as well: admin@interlakenut.gov
Follow this link for information about what to do when threatened by a fire, and how to sign up for emergency alerts from Wasatch County:
(3) Participate in Interaken's annual fire mitigation efforts. Each spring and fall Interlaken will pick up wooden debris you've collected from your lot and haul it away free of charge.
(4) Make a Plan. Don't wait for an emergency to catch you unprepared. Develop a plan for you, your family, pets, and property when a wildfire is active. Consider evacuation routes, get to know your neighbors and discuss ways to work together, have a list of emergency contacts available to report a fire.
(5) Educate yourself. Use available online resources to help you understand wildfire risks in our town. The state has a wildfire risk website with links to information about the WUI code requirements, high risk maps, and information about FireWise practices:
