West Valley City, UT Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Chapter 24-8's weed-control standard is written to serve the fire-prevention purposes stated in Section 24-8-102: preventing fire hazards, insect and rodent harborage, hazardous pollen, and the spread of vegetation that threatens public health, safety or welfare. Section 24-8-101(7) defines "Weeds" broadly to include vegetation that has become a fire hazard, noxious or nuisance vegetation as determined by the Director, and specifically grasses, stubble, brush, tumbleweeds, clippings and cuttings that endanger public health and safety by creating a fire hazard. The baseline rule in Section 24-8-106 caps weed height at six inches, with cuttings promptly removed.

Where a property is too large to mow in full, Section 24-8-106(3) lets the Community Preservation Department, defined in Section 24-8-101(1)-(2), order a reduced-scope cut: a firebreak at least 25 feet wide around every structure and around the entire perimeter of the property, in place of clearing the whole lot. Section 24-8-106(4) also lets the Department exempt land that isn't close to buildings and doesn't create a serious nuisance or fire hazard from the weed-control requirement altogether. Enforcement starts with a written notice under Section 24-8-107 describing the property, the violation, the required remedial action and a reasonable compliance deadline; only one such notice per calendar year is required to cover the growing season.

If the owner doesn't cut the weeds or create the ordered firebreak, Section 24-8-109 lets the Department do the work itself and bill the owner an itemized statement due within 20 days, which under Sections 24-8-110 through 24-8-112 the City can collect by lawsuit, with attorney's fees and interest, or by adding the cost to the property's county tax bill.