The Silver King Fire burned over 17,000 acres in south-central Utah, last year. Photo: Utah Fire Info

Free April 25 event brings expert panel, vendors and practical guidance to Summit and Wasatch county homeowners

PARK CITY, UT — With Utah facing a weak snowpack and a longer fire season, local homeowner associations are pushing for more wildfire preparation.

On April 25, residents of Summit and Wasatch counties are invited to Ecker Hill Middle School for the 2026 Park City Wildfire Preparedness Fair. The free event will feature an expert panel, local vendors, educators, food trucks, and activities for children.

For Angie Kell, a Glenwild board member and member of its wildfire mitigation committee, the point is simple: give homeowners clear, useful information before the next fire is at their doorstep.

Kell, part of an eight-member steering committee representing five HOAs, said this year’s fair is the second but has expanded in size, reach, and ambition after organizers saw the response to last year’s inaugural event. The fair is now being opened more broadly across Summit and Wasatch counties.

“We’re informing homeowners about their wildfire risks and ways to ‘harden’ their homes against wildfire,” Kell said.

That concern is not theoretical. Utah’s HB 48, passed during the 2025 legislative session, was designed to increase awareness of wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface and encourage property owners in high-risk areas to reduce that risk. The state says property owners in high-risk WUI areas may request lot assessments to develop mitigation strategies, with a property fee helping support those assessments.

Kell said the fair is meant to show people clear, specific steps they can take now — before wildfire risk intensifies.

“The time is now for homeowners to start making changes. If your home is in a high-risk area — like many in Summit and Wasatch counties — don’t wait for the assessment to begin protecting your property. Attend the fair to learn exactly what to do, who to contact, and how to start wildfire mitigation right away,” she said.

That one-stop-shop approach is central to the fair’s design. The day opens with a 90-minute panel, followed by access to vendors and specialists offering resources and demonstrations. Organizers will also provide children’s activities, including hands-on biochar engagement.

The panel brings together expertise from fire management, forestry, climate science and insurance, with speakers including Chief Peter Emery of the Park City Fire District; Dr. Fielding Norton, executive director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy at the University of Utah; Taiga Rohrer, deputy state fire management officer for fuels and prevention with Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands; David Telian, owner of Alpine Forestry; J. Bradley Washa, assistant professor of wildland fire science at Utah State University; and insurance professionals from SentryWest Insurance Services and Steve Davis.

Participating vendors and organizations include Alpine Forestry, Sav-A-Tree, Park City Fire District, Utah Forestry, Utah Open Lands, local emergency and open lands groups, and landscape designers, including Eschenfelder and Country Gardens/BCM.

Washa said his work focuses on “landscape and community resiliency, including prescribed fire and treatment effectiveness, smoke management, risk analysis, strategic planning, and dispelling of wildland fire misinformation.”

At the panel, he said, he plans to explain “the wildland fire ecosystem and humans’ relationship with it.”

His larger message is that people living in the Wasatch Back need to stop treating wildfire as a distant possibility.

“We live in fire-dependent ecosystems. It’s not if, but when, we’ll see wildfire. Recognizing this and taking steps like Firewise landscaping and home hardening help build resiliency,” Washa said.

That message carries more urgency this spring. In a Utah State University article published March 23, Washa said limited snowpack could lead to earlier drying in heavier fuels and, in some places, shift meaningful fire activity earlier in the season.

“With low snowpack, we’re on track for an extended fire season and greater wildfire risk. Prepare your home now,” he said.

One of the fair’s strengths is that it aims to make that preparation feel manageable. Kell said some of the most important steps are neither expensive nor complicated.

“This spring, I’m replacing flammable wood mulch near my home with rock. It’s an easy step anyone can take,” she said.

Residents will also be able to learn about ember-resistant vents, roof and eave materials, landscaping choices, and professional home assessments. Local fire districts can already visit homes and offer ideas for reducing risk, while paid vendors can provide more formal written assessments and mitigation work.

Insurance is expected to be one of the biggest draws.

“We have insurance experts. People really want to know how to keep coverage and avoid big premium increases,” Kell said.

In the end, Kell said, the fair is meant to ensure that each attendee leaves with a clear action plan: a short, practical list of steps they can take immediately after the event.

“Our goal is for each homeowner to leave with five specific actions they can take to make their property safer from wildfire,” she said.

For more information and to RSVP to the event, visit the Wildfire Preparedness Fair page.