Sedona Fire District adopted the 2018 edition of the Wildland-Urban Interface code at its public hearing meeting on Nov. 16.
According to Fire Marshal Jon Davis, who retired Nov. 17, this updated code redefines and establishes the WUI Zone. The WUI zone maintains the transition between wilderness and land development by human activity. From the previous 2003 edition, which was adopted in 2007, the WUI Zone consisted of ‘any lot that was continuous or contiguous to managed forest lands.’
“The most significant change is that we extended that zone to any property that is within ? mile, or 660 feet, of managed forest lands,” Davis said. This also includes properties where extreme vegetation would contribute to rapid fire spread. The SFD expanded the WUI zone in response to recent fires growing larger and faster moving.