Fire Protection

Utah Code tit. 11, ch. 11-7

in effect

Utah Code § 11-7-1 Cooperation with other governmental units -- Burning permits -- Contracts.

11-7-1. Cooperation with other governmental units -- Burning permits -- Contracts. (1) The governing body of every incorporated municipality and the board of commissioners or county council of every county shall: (a) provide adequate fire protection within their own territorial limits; and (b) cooperate with all contiguous counties, municipal corporations, private corporations, fire districts, state agencies, or federal governmental agencies to maintain adequate fire protection within their territorial limits. (2) Every incorporated municipality and every county may: (a) require that persons obtain a burning permit before starting a fire on any forest, wildland urban interface, brush, range, grass, grain, stubble, or hay land, except that a municipality or county may not require a burning permit for the burning of fence lines on cultivated lands, canals, or irrigation ditches, provided that the individual notifies the nearest fire department of the approximate time that the burning will occur; (b) maintain and support a fire-fighting force or fire department for its own protection; (c) contract to furnish fire protection to any proximate county, municipal corporation, private corporation, fire district, state agency, or federal agency; (d) contract to receive fire protection from any contiguous county, municipal corporation, private corporation, fire district, state agency, or federal governmental agency; (e) contract to jointly provide fire protection with any contiguous county, municipal corporation, private corporation, fire district, state agency, or federal governmental agency; or (f) contract to contribute toward the support of a fire-fighting force, or fire department in any contiguous county, municipal corporation, private corporation, fire district, state agency, or federal governmental agency in return for fire protection. Amended by Chapter 174, 2016 General Session

Utah Code § 11-7-2 Contract -- Requirements -- Time in effect.

11-7-2. Contract -- Requirements -- Time in effect. Any contract made pursuant to Section 11-7-1 shall: (1) Be in writing. (2) Set forth in detail the extent of the fire protection to be afforded by the party or parties contracting to furnish fire protection. (3) Set forth in detail the amount and method of payment to be made by the party or parties. (4) Be in effect for at least one year but not more than five years. Enacted by Chapter 19, 1957 General Session

Utah Code § 11-7-3 Privileges and immunities from liability extend to departments fighting fires outside territorial limits under contract.

11-7-3. Privileges and immunities from liability extend to departments fighting fires outside territorial limits under contract. All the privileges and immunities from liability which surround the activities of any county or municipal corporation fire-fighting force or fire department when performing its functions within the governmental unit's territorial limits shall apply to the activities of that governmental unit's fire-fighting force or department while furnishing fire protection outside its territorial limits under any contract pursuant to Section 11-7-1. Enacted by Chapter 19, 1957 General Session

Utah Code § 11-7-4 Death or injury of firefighter while fighting fire outside territorial limits.

11-7-4. Death or injury of firefighter while fighting fire outside territorial limits. The effect of the death or injury of any firefighter who is killed or injured outside the territorial limits of the county or municipality where the firefighter is a member of the fire-fighting force or fire department and while that force or department is functioning pursuant to any contract made under Section 11-7-1 shall be the same as if the firefighter were killed or injured while that force or department was functioning within its own territorial limits, and the firefighter's death shall be considered in the line of duty. Amended by Chapter 365, 2024 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title11/Chapter7/11-7.html?v=C11-7_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026