Alpine Forestry Utah
HOA Wildfire Preparedness
Checklist
A practical guide for boards and homeowners in Utah's wildland-urban interface — before fire season arrives.
For HOA boards
Board responsibilities
Community-level actions your board should lead
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Insurance & documentation
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Check your community's placement on Utah's High-Risk WUI map
wildfirerisk.utah.gov — know your classification before your insurer does
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Review current HOA insurance policy for wildfire exclusions or coverage gaps
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Request insurer justification if premiums have increased 20%+ or coverage was dropped
Required under Utah HB 48 — you have the right to ask
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Compile documentation of all past mitigation work for your insurance file
Before/after photos, work summaries, and professional letters carry real weight
Risk assessment & planning
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Schedule a professional wildfire risk assessment for your community this spring
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Identify high-risk common areas: dense vegetation, steep slopes, shared fencing
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Develop a phased community mitigation plan with realistic timelines and cost estimates
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Explore grant and rebate funding before summer — programs fill fast
Programs like the FLASH Program have offered up to $6,000 per property
Vegetation & common areas
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Clear dead vegetation, ladder fuels, and debris from all common area boundaries
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Ensure canopy separation in common areas (no continuous tree crowns)
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Inspect and clear vegetation within 5 feet of all shared structures
Emergency preparedness
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Coordinate with local fire agency on community evacuation routes and signage
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Communicate the mitigation plan to all homeowners — share progress milestones
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Host or link homeowners to a defensible space education resource or workshop
For homeowners
Individual property
Steps every WUI homeowner should complete before summer
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Zone 1 — 0 to 30 feet from your home
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Remove dead plants, dry leaves, and pine needles from roof and gutters
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Clear all vegetation and combustible materials within 5 feet of the home's foundation
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Space plants and shrubs so fire cannot travel easily between them
Keep the view — remove the risk. Selective clearing, not clearcuts.
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Remove tree limbs within 10 feet of the ground and away from your roofline
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Move woodpiles, propane tanks, and outdoor furniture away from the structure
Zone 2 — 30 to 100 feet from your home
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Cut dry grass and weeds down — keep ground fuels low
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Create separation between tree clusters — no continuous canopy pathways
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Remove ladder fuels (shrubs beneath trees that would carry fire into the canopy)
Structure & materials
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Check roof and attic vents — cover with 1/8" metal mesh to block embers
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Inspect deck and fencing materials — wood decks directly attached to the home are a known ignition risk
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Ensure windows are dual-pane or tempered — single-pane glass breaks in radiant heat
Documentation & insurance
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Photograph your property before and after mitigation work — date-stamped
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Check your property on Utah's wildfire risk map and review your personal policy
wildfirerisk.utah.gov
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Ask your HOA board about rebate or cost-sharing programs available in your community
Not sure where to start?
We handle it all.
Alpine Forestry works with HOA boards and individual homeowners across Utah's WUI communities — from professional risk assessment to full vegetation management and insurance documentation.
Websitealpineforestryutah.com
Emailinfo@alpineforestryutah.com
Phone(385) 398-3814
Free consultationSchedule yours this spring
Alpine Forestry Utah · alpineforestryutah.com · (385) 398-3814