Eagle County Wildfire Regulations

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Eagle County Wildfire Regulations
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Purpose

• Protection of human life in the event of a
  wildfire
• Protection of property in the event of a wildfire
• Reduce the risk of a structure fire spreading to
  wildlands

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Protection of Human Life

• Ingress/Egress (access into and out of the
  homesite)
• Reduction of the intensity of an oncoming fire
• Give firefighters room to make a stand

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Protection of Property

• Make homes able to withstand oncoming wildfire
  with minimal intervention by firefighters
• During a wildland fire event, resources are
  limited due to the large amount of area that they
  have to defend.
• Response times to rural areas are typically
  longer.

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Fire Spread From Structure to Wildlands

• By manipulating fuels around structures, risk of
  large resource damage from fire originating in a
  structure is reduced.

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The Regulations

• Based on wildfire hazard rating of building site
• Low
• Moderate
• High
• Extreme
• Determined by existing hazard maps or by Wildfire
  Mitigation Specialist

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Defensible Space

• Zone 1
• Extends 15 feet from the edge of structure (eaves
  or decks)
• All trees should be removed from this zone
• If a tree must remain, it will be considered part
  of the structure, and measurements will be taken
  from the drip line of this tree or tree cluster
• Decorative rock or irrigated, mowed grass are
  acceptable with low growing, fire restive shrubs
• This zone is designed to give firefighters a safe
  area to work.

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Defensible Space

• Zone 2
• Transition between Zone 1 and Zone 3
• Distance determined using table A.
• Minimum of 10 feet between tree or shrub crowns
• Ladder fuels removed
• Prune lower branches to 10 feet or 1/3 of height
  of tree
• Aspen and widespread individual spruce fir and
  pine specimens are exempt

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Before
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After
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Defensible Space

• Zone 3
• Area of traditional forest management
• From edge of Zone 2 to property boundaries (no
  specific size)
• Removal of damaged trees, insect infested trees,
  dead and down trees, and trees in low vigor
• Meet property owners objectives

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Fire Resistive Construction

• Exterior walls must be listed one-hour
  fire-resistive or log (6 minimum diameter)
• Roof shall be protected by layer of 5/8 type X
  gypsum board interior ceiling or nominal 2 TG
  wood interior ceiling

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Fire Resistive Construction

• A non-combustible exterior wall surface may be
  used in lieu of the exterior membrane of a listed
  wall assembly
• Decks shall be one-hour fire-resistive
  construction as defined in the building code in
  effect at the time of building permit application
• More Construction Information
• http//www.firewise.org/co/construction.html

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Low Wildfire Hazard Areas

• No restrictions are placed on construction
  materials
• Defensible space is not required, but recommended

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Moderate Wildfire Hazard Areas

• Roof
• Class A or B
• Vents for Roof Ventilation
• Shall not be in the horizontal soffit
• Decks
• 1-Hour Fire Resistive Construction
• Defensible space must be implemented

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High Wildfire Hazard Areas

• Roof
• Class A
• Vents shall not be in horizontal soffit
• Decks, Eaves, Soffits
• 1-Hour Fire Resistive Construction
• Defensible space must be implemented

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Extreme Wildfire Hazard Areas

• Attempt to reduce fire hazard into at least a
  high hazard rating through vegetation management
• Site and construction-specific requirements
  determined by community development staff and the
  local fire authority

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Re-Roofing/Siding

• When re-roofing or siding requires a building
  permit, materials and construction shall comply
  with this regulation based on the wildfire hazard
  rating for the site.
• Defensible space will not be required.

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Inspection Fees

• Three field inspections and One hour plan review
  time
• 200.00
• All additional inspections will be 47.00 each
• Inspections are not necessary for properties with
  a low hazard rating.

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Inspections

• Initial site inspections (2) prior to issuance of
  building permit.
• 1) establish defensible space, identify trees and
  shrubs to be pruned or removed, and list other
  mitigation measures to be performed.
• 2) Verify that defensible space mitigations that
  were identified during the first inspection have
  been completed.

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Inspections

• Final Site Inspection
• Verify that all required mitigations have been
  completed or properly utilized
• This inspection will be done prior to issuance of
  a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO).

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Questions?

• Ben Garrett
• Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
• [phone]
• benjaman.garrett_at_eaglecounty.us
• Dan Stanek
• Chief Building Official
• [phone]

• Bob Narracci
• Planning Manager
• [phone]
• Eagle County Community Development
• [phone]
• Inspection Request Line
• [phone]