News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Wood Shake Fire-Safety Ordinance Adopted (Update)

Wood Shake Fire-Safety Ordinance Adopted (Update)

Existing Flammable Roofs Must Be Replaced

By Michael P. Neufeld
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Update - Wednesday 4:16 a.m.

San Bernardino, CA - The San Bernardino County supervisors have formally adopted the roof covering ordinance delayed from the October 7 board meeting.

Yesterday's action, which included a second reading of the ordinance, was approved unanimously on the consent calendar.

The ordinance approved October 21 goes into effect January 1, 2009 and prior to July 1, 2014, all properties within San Bernardino County Fire Safety Zones will be required to replace all wood shake roofs.

Original Story

San Bernardino, CA – "These ordinances have been needed for many years," Supervisor Dennis Hansberger told a media briefing after the county adopted two new ordinances aimed at making homes in the San Bernardino Mountains more resistant to fire.

"The ordinances are designed to make our communities safer," Hansberger stated following adoption of an ordinance requiring flammable roofs to be replaced with fire-resistant roofs, and requiring homeowners to create firebreaks around their homes and remove flammable vegetation.

San Bernardino County Fire Marshal Peter Brierty explains two new fire-safety ordinances adopted by the county. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

San Bernardino County Fire Marshal Peter Brierty explained the two ordinances "aren't just a fire agency thing. A lot of citizens supplied input into the importance of adopting these two measures including the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) and Fire Safe Councils.

"If citizens do their clearance job properly," County Mountain Division Chief George Corley explained, "firefighters can do their job safely. The clearance around homes also reduces the intensity of the fire and improves the defensibility of homes."

"These ordinances have been our goal for three years," Laura Dyberg from the Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council explained. "They are a giant step forward."

Shawna Meyer from Forest Care reports her organization can assist homeowners with complying with the county's new fire hazard abatement ordinance. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Shawna Meyer from Forest Care told those assembled in the County Government Center in San Bernardino that her agency will "be around to offer some financial assistance for thinning and clearing around homes."

Brierty noted the county was also looking for ways to assist homeowners required to replace their wood shake roofs.

The Fire Hazard Abatement Ordinance goes into effect in early November and basically modifies the current statute to include green vegetation management including bushes and small trees. Abatement notices will now be issued year round instead of just once a year based upon the fire hazard assessment of the local fire chief.

The new ordinance mandates 100-feet of defensible space to include the adjacent property where there is a hazard. The property owner of a hazard within 100-feet of their neighbor's home or structure is responsible for abating that fire hazard to their property line.

The Roofing Ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2009 and prior to July 1, 2014, all properties within San Bernardino County Fire Safety Zones will be required to be replace all wood shake roofs.

San Bernardino County Fire Chief Pat Dennen and Crest Forest Fire Chief Michael Sherman support the county's two new fire-safety ordinances. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Officials at the media event estimated there are less than 4,000 homes with wood shake roofs in the mountain communities.

"Wood roofs," Brierty told RIMOFTHEWORLD.net, "are one of the most significant factors in the ignitability of homes. That's an important factor is the spread of wildfires to other homes."

Representatives of Cal Fire, San Bernardino County Fire, Crest Forest Fire, Forest Care and the Inland Empire Fire Safe Alliance participated in the informational media briefing chaired by Supervisor Hansberger.