California Wildfire Code Changes

Barrier has been contacted by architects in California looking for guidance on meeting new fire prevention requirements in Chapter 7A of the 2007 California Building Codes. The new changes went into effect on January 1, 2008, though selected changes become the purview of local jurisdictions starting July of 2008.

The new building standard addresses Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs) and, at the local level, Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZs). There are more than 40 California counties and/or cities listed as VHFHSZs, including San Diego County, much of the Los Angeles basin and heavily populated areas in and around the San Francisco Bay.

Specific to Barrier, the new codes call for ignition-resistant materials or non-combustible coatings on the exposed underside of eaves and soffitts as well as for exterior walls. As such, Barrier has submitted an application for Blazeguard to be listed as a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) product, per the requirements of CA SFM 12.7A-1. Our application has been received at the Office of the State Fire Marshall of the State of California, and at least one California architect has already specified Blazeguard on a new home being built in a VHFHSZ in northern California. We will keep you posted on this very exciting and promising development.
Fire-rated sheathing, town homes, multi-family construction, housing market, small cap, otcbb, ibtgf, barrier, blazeguard, mycoguard, fire-rated paint, intumescent paint, mold, mildew, fire-retardant plywood, frt, sips, structurally insulated panels, fire-rated wall assemblies, commercial modular, modular home construction, green building products, LEED, control room, electrical panel backer board, SIPs; wildfire protection