In an effort to reduce wildfire risk and manage liability, Wyoming lawmakers passed House Bill 0192 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill, signed into law as HEA 0058, took effect July 1 and requires all electric utilities in the state to file wildfire mitigation plans with the Wyoming Public Service Commission. 

Under the new law, utilities must identify high-risk fire zones within their service areas and detail procedures for inspecting infrastructure, managing vegetation, shutting off power to prevent ignition, and restoring service after an event. 

The Public Service Commission is responsible for reviewing and approving the plans. According to the law, a plan must be found “reasonable, in the public interest, and appropriately balance implementation costs with wildfire risk.” Once approved, utilities must submit annual compliance reports and provide a full update to their plans every five years. 

The law also includes a legal protection for utilities: if a company follows an approved mitigation plan, it is presumed to have acted prudently in the event of a wildfire-related lawsuit. However, landowners may still bring legal action in cases of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or criminal behavior, or if the utility fails to follow its plan. 

Additional provisions limit the types of damages that can be awarded and set a four-year window to file claims. 

The Public Service Commission is authorized to develop regulations for implementing the law. Rulemaking authority took effect immediately, while utility compliance requirements began July 1. 

As part of its longstanding commitment to protecting private property rights, the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) is working to ensure members have access to timely, accurate information about how these plans are developed and how they can get involved. From public comment periods to legal protections, understanding these changes is key to safeguarding landowners' interests. 

According to John Burbridge, Secretary and Chief Counsel of the Wyoming Public Service Commission, which is charged with reviewing and approving wildfire mitigation plans, there are clear pathways for public involvement—but tight timelines make staying informed all the more important. 

“Our role on this is to review proposed plans from the electric utilities that are hit by the legislation,” Burbridge explained. “If the plans are sufficient after our review, we approve them. Then we periodically review those plans again, based on statutory timelines.” 

These plans are designed to reduce utility liability in the event a wildfire is caused by their equipment, but Burbridge emphasized that the PSC does not play a role in legal determinations if a utility is sued. Instead, the goal is to create a clear framework that can help mitigate risk and potentially influence insurance rates. 

“One of the intended goals is that insurance companies will keep rates steady or possibly lower,” he said. “I don't anticipate the rates will go down, but it may prevent them from going up as much.” 

Once a utility files its wildfire mitigation plan with the PSC, there is a window for public engagement—including formal comment submission, intervention requests, and the option to call for a hearing. 

“When we get the plans, we issue public notices,” Burbridge said. “That notice provides information on where the plan can be viewed—ideally on a dedicated wildfire mitigation page on our website—and outlines the process for comment.” 

Notices will also be published in local newspapers within the utility’s certificated area. However, due to varying publication schedules, timing can fluctuate. 

“We try to give about three weeks from the time the notice is issued for people to comment, request to intervene, or request a hearing,” he added. “But we take public comments throughout the proceeding—and if it goes to a hearing, we take comments there, too.” 

By statute, the PSC has just 120 days to process each plan once it’s submitted. While extensions can be granted “for cause,” the timeline places additional pressure on both the reviewing body and members of the public hoping to engage. 

To help members stay ahead of deadlines, the PSC uses an email-based system called GOV Delivery. Any member of the public can subscribe to receive alerts when wildfire mitigation plans are filed. 

“The downside is they’ll get everything else we issue as well,” Burbridge noted, “but it ensures they’ll get notified directly when a wildfire mitigation notice is issued. We really try to do our best to get public participation on everything we do,” he said. “ 

Liability was another key concern, particularly whether utilities could still be sued if found responsible for starting a wildfire. While the plans are intended to help limit utility liability, they do not eliminate a landowner’s ability to pursue legal action. 

“It does not prevent people from engaging in a lawsuit,” Burbridge said. “The statute does limit the kind of damages a person could receive, but beyond that, landowners would need to discuss specifics with their lawyers.” 

As of July 3,  only one plan has been submitted, by High West Energy out of Pine Bluffs. A notice about that plan is expected to be published shortly. 

For Farm Bureau members—many of whom have experienced devastating wildfire losses in recent years—the importance of staying informed cannot be overstated. While lightning strikes and natural disasters may be outside anyone’s control, the wildfire mitigation plans represent a new layer of regulatory planning that could directly affect how electric utilities manage vegetation, maintain infrastructure, and interact with private lands. 

Burbridge encouraged any interested member to follow up with the PSC, monitor notices, and engage with upcoming plans.