Washington County waives building permit fees for those who lost homes in Forsyth Fire, warns of flash floods

PINE VALLEY, Utah (ABC4) — During the Pine Valley Community Meeting Wednesday night, officials discussed flash flooding due to the Forsyth Fire and announced that building permit fees would be waived for those who lost homes in the fire.

The Forsyth Fire is currently at 83% containment as of the latest update, and as the wildfire burned, it destroyed 17 homes in the Pine Valley area.

A letter was passed around at the meeting to anyone who lost a home in the Forsyth Fire. It stated that the Washington County Commissioners have authorized fee waivers for building permits issued for the replacement of any structures that were destroyed in the Forsyth Fire.

The County Commision is working to help the community rebuild, and so they are providing resources to help those homeowners navigate the process. The letter advises property owners to follow all requirements from their insurance and save all records.

County fees for demolition permits have been waived, the letter stated, and the County is also expediting demolition permit requests. At the meeting, officials said that the Utah Department of Environmental Quality may have additional requirements, but that Gov. Cox assured them that the state would support the community in rebuilding.

Officials also stated that flash flooding is a concern, and it will continue to be a problem for years to come because of the burn scars. Flooding becomes so dangerous in following wildfires because there is no vegetation to hold the water back.

“You know, you’re taking away vegetation, you’re taking away elements that help to control that runoff into the drainages,” Jason Whipple with Washington County Emergency Services told ABC4.com. “You’re burning it away. And so that water will tend to run more and more freely. It’s always a concern.”

The emergency response team created a Burned Area Emergency Response Plan to mitigate some damages. Debris flows with the flooding is an additional hazard. Flood waters pick up mud, sticks, ash, and even burned trees. Debris flows can block roads and culverts, preventing drainage. Officials said that their priority is keeping roads and culverts clear.

They also stated that there are many hazardous dead trees in the burn scars, and they are beginning hazard tree removal, but it will take time.

Officials advised residents to sign up for emergency alerts so that they can receive warnings about severe weather conditions and potential flash floods.