In 2008, California introduced new fire regulations for exterior features of single and multi-family homes built in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. Five building product categories that encompass lumber and wood products, including wood siding and decking, became subject to new fire performance regulations. Since California’s adoption of WUI regulations, other states, including Colorado and Oregon, have adopted their own WUI regulations.

Beginning in 2012, manufacturers of these products are required to register their products in the Building Materials Listing (BML) program with California’s Office of the State Fire Marshall (OSFM). Once registered, the products involved must carry labeling, on the product itself or on the packaging, indicating that the products are acceptable for use in WUI areas. Failure to comply with this registration and labeling requirement could result in products being rejected by building officials in California WUI areas.

While several states have adopted regulations related to WUI areas and products that can be used in these geographic regions, currently only the State of California has set up a registration system for these products. The Building Materials Listing program that California has adopted specifically requires manufacturers to use a third-party inspection service. PLIB is approved by the California Office of the State Fire Marshall (OSFM) as a third-party quality control agency for WUI certification and product registration.

If you subscribe to PLIB’s lumber grading service, great news! The quality control requirements are included as part of our grading services. You just need to register with OSFM and we’ll take care of the rest. If you are a remanufacturer that is not receiving service from an OSFM-approved third-party agency, you’ll need to subscribe to a grading service in order to have your products listed. PLIB will help you through the approval process and provide you with great service.

If you are a distributor selling into California, you may want to check to see that the products you are shipping into the State meet the qualifications—builders affected by red tags resulting from the program will likely turn to their dealers for help; those dealers will look to their wholesalers.

For more information on Wildland Urban Interface regulations or to subscribe to PLIB’s WUI service, call us at 253.835.3344 (U.S.) or 604.732.1782 (Canada) or contact us via email.

FAQ

A Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area can generally be defined as a transition area where houses and wildland vegetation coincide. Houses in these areas are considered to be more susceptible to damage by wildfires.

Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau is registered with the OSFM as an approved third-party quality control agency. We can help you work through the process so that your products will be accepted in all California markets, including WUI zones.

Primary manufacturers, remanufacturers, and distributors whose products are sold into certain states with WUI regulations can be impacted by these regulations.

The registration of products depends on the state. Currently, only the State of California has set up a registration system for certain building products in WUI zones. Manufacturers of these products are required to register their products in the Building Materials Listing (BML) program with California’s Office of the State Fire Marshall (OSFM). Building products that fall into one of the following five categories must be registered in the BML program:

  • Exterior siding and wall sheathing
  • Exterior windows
  • Under eave products
  • Decking
  • Roof coverings

PLIB and other wood industry groups worked together and received OSFM approval for many commonly used wood products through generic wood product listings. Refer to the adjacent chart that shows the generic product listings that have been approved. Products that are similar to those in the chart, but fall outside the sizes and species listed, may need to be tested before they will be accepted into the BML program.

Manufacturers and remanufacturers of products included in one of the five building-product categories must:

Apply for a product listing with California’s Office of the State Fire Marshall. NOTE: If the product falls under one or more of the six generic product categories (see table below), the generic listing can be used.

Have an agreement with an OSFM-approved, third-party quality control agency such as PLIB, and

Mark their products with an approved quality control logo (either directly on the product or on the paper wrap or bundle tag).

To learn more about PLIB’s WUI service, call us at 253.835.3344 (U.S.) or 604.732.1782 (Canada) or contact us via email.

Please reference the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Fire-Hazard Severity Zones Maps and the Fire and Resource Assessment Program’s FHRZ Viewer.

Exterior Wall Siding and Sheathing, Decking, Decking – Alternate Method A.

Please reference the Office of the State Fire Marshal Building Materials Listings.