Fire Benefit Charge

A fire benefit charge is a fee that reflects the value of services to protect structures from fire. It’s based on the size of the structures on a property, the use of the structures, and the resources it takes to protect that property from fire. Properties with a higher fire risk pay more than those with a lower risk. It doesn’t apply to land and is not based on property value. 

Calculating a fire benefit charge 

Our draft RFA plan proposes a fire benefit charge (FBC) based on a formula used by most other regional fire authorities in Washington state. 

FBC = square footage of all structures on a property x a factor based on the type of property
(residential, commercial, etc.) x other risk factors x the cost of water for fire suppression

Coming soon: FBC calculator! When the draft RFA plan is completed later this fall and the FBC formula is finalized, we will add a calculator to help you determine the fire benefit charge plus property tax cost for your property.

Factors in the FBC calculation 

  • Square footage: We add up the square footage of the buildings on your property. That includes your house, attached and detached garages, shops, and other enclosed buildings. Decks, patios, porches, and very small structures don’t count. The formula uses the square root of that total, so a bigger building pays more but the charge doesn’t double when the size doubles. 
  • Use type (also called category factor): Every property gets placed in a category based on the Whatcom County Assessor’s records. Each category has its own factor based on the fire risk and the resources it takes to protect that type of property. The categories are: 
    • Residential: Single family homes, including homes with an accessory dwelling unit. 
    • Mobile home: Mobile and manufactured homes. 
    • Multi-unit: Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, apartments, condos, and other buildings with more than one home in them. 
    • Commercial: Stores, offices, warehouses, industrial buildings, and other commercial properties. Commercial is split into tiers by building size. Bigger buildings land in higher tiers. 
  • Risk factor: An adjustment for the fire risk of how the property is used. In the current draft it’s set at 1 for every land use, so it doesn’t change anyone’s charge. 
  • Sprinkler factor: A 10% reduction for structures with sprinkler systems.  
  • Water factors: There are two factors associated with water for fighting fires. First, a factor for the water flow needed to put out a fire. Second, a factor based on the cost of water per gallon.
  • Balancing factor: The last step in the formula. It scales every charge up or down so the total collected across the fire authority matches the amount budgeted in the RFA plan. If one factor changes, this one adjusts to keep the total where it was set.

Sample FBC costs 

Average FBC costs by category and sample costs for different property types are below.

*Note: The total cost to each property related to an RFA will include the fire benefit charge plus a property tax of $1 per $1000 of assessed value.

Table 1: Average annual FBC cost by category

Category

Median FBC

Mean FBC

Median Sq Ft

Residential

$375

$390

2,382

Mobile home

$91

$46

1,543

Multi unit

$499

$638

1,300

Commercial

$1,392

$4,275

3,710
Table 2: Annual FBC costs for sample properties

Sample Property

Category

Tier

Sq Ft

Annual
Fire Benefit Charge

Residential Sample A

Residential

n/a

1,892

$334 

Residential Sample B

Residential

n/a

3,108 

$429 

Mobile Home Sample A

Mobile home

n/a

1,202 

$80 

Mobile Home Sample B

Mobile home

n/a

1,920 

$101 

Multi Unit Sample A

Multi unit

n/a

1,280 

$495 

Multi Unit Sample B

Multi unit

n/a

1,786 

$585 

Commercial Sample A

Commercial

Tier 1

1,180 

$264 

Commercial Sample B

Commercial

Tier 3

3,925 

$1,445 

Commercial Sample C

Commercial

Tier 7

61,876 

$22,951 

Commercial Sample D

Commercial

Tier 10

241,340 

$67,989 

Exemptions

Certain properties or property owners don’t pay a fire benefit charge. Examples include:

  • Non-profit owners or other properties that are exempt from property tax, such as housing authorities or non-profit-owned, low-income rental housing.
  • Property owners who quality for the senior and disabled tax exemption.

Resources