NFPA 1141, Standard for Fire Protection Infrastructure for Land Development in Suburban and Rural Areas, and NFPA 1144, Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, provide the framework for the principles and sciene behind the Firewise program. See how the NFPA standards development process is utilized to incorporate current information into the standards that provide the blueprint for the development of Firewise homes and communities.

1. NATIONAL
WILDLAND FIRE SAFTEY
STANDARDS:
Developing and Using NFPA 1141
and 1144
Ryan Depew
NFPA Staff

2. Wildland Fire Safety Standards
• Standardization and Utilization
• NFPA 1141 Overview
• NFPA 1144 Overview
• Brief Overview of Standards Development
• How YOU Can Get Involved!

3. What are NFPA Standards?
• Standard - A document, the main text of
which contains only mandatory provisions
using the word “shall” to indicate
requirements and which is in a form generally
suitable for mandatory reference by another
standard or code or for adoption into law.

4. Wildland Fire Safety Standards
• NFPA 1141: Standard for Fire Protection
Infrastructure for Land Development in
Wildland, Rural, and Suburban Areas, 2012
Edition
• www.nfpa.org/1141
• NFPA 1144: Standard for Reducing Structure
Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, 2008 Edition
• www.nfpa.or/144

5. NFPA 1141
Fire Protection Infrastructure
for Land Development in
Wildland, Rural, and
Suburban Areas, 2012

6. Utilizing NFPA 1141
• Planners, Developers, and Communities
–Means of Access/Egress
–Building Separation
–Fire Protection
–Water Supply
–Community Safety and Emergency
Preparedness

7. NFPA 1144
Standard for Reducing Structure
Ignition Hazards from Wildland
Fire, 2008

8. Utilizing NFPA 1144
• Homeowners/Property Owners
–Structure ignition zone
–Hazard mitigation
–Proper construction
–Fuel Modification

9. Firewise Communities/USA®
• Recognition Program
Fall 2002
• Over 700 Active
Communities in 40
States
• $76 Million in Wildfire
Safety Actions

10. www.nfpa.org/1141
• NFPA 1141: Standard for Fire Protection
Infrastructure for Land Development in
Wildland, Rural, and Suburban Areas, 2012
Edition
• AHJ’s, Planners, Developers, and Communities

11. www.nfpa.org/1141
Main Topics
• Means of Access
• Building Separation
• Fire Protection
• Water Supply
• Community Safety and Emergency
Preparedness

12. www.nfpa.org/1141
• Chapter 5 Means of Access
– Number of Access Routes
– Roadway Requirements
– Grades – 10%
– Dead Ends – Turn Arounds
– Fire Lanes
– Parking Lots

13. www.nfpa.org/1141

14. www.nfpa.org/1141
• Chapter 6 Building Access and Separation
– Fire Apparatus Access – Proximity to Structure
• 150’ to all exterior walls, 300’ with NFPA 13, 13R
– 30 feet between structures
– 30 feet from property line

15. Bastrop County Complex Fire
September 2011
• Over 34,000 Acres
Burned (Approx. 55
sq. miles)
• Over 1500 Structures
Lost

16. Tahitian Village Survey

17. Bastrop County Complex Fire
Tahitian Village

18. Bastrop County Complex Fire

19. Bastrop County Complex Fire

20. Bastrop County Complex Fire

21. www.nfpa.org/1141
• Chapter 7 Fire Protection
– Sprinkler Systems, Standpipe Systems, Warning
Systems
• Chapter 8 Water Supply
– Municipal systems, Fire Hydrants, Modifications
• Chapter 9 Fire Protection During Construction
– Jobsite Cleanliness, Extinguishers

22. www.nfpa.org/1141
• Chapter 10 Community Safety and Emergency
Preparedness
• Assessment of Hazards
• Development of Operational Plan
– Command & Training
– Public Notification & Education
– Safety & Evacuation
– Mutual Aid Resources

23. www.nfpa.org/1144
• NFPA 1144: Standard for Reducing Structure
Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, 2008
Edition
• Homeowners/Property Owners

24. Structure Ignition Zone

25. Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards
from Wildfire
Building
Design
Fuel
Modification
Assessing
Hazards

26. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Chapter 4 Assessing Wildland Fire Hazards in
the Structure Ignition Zone
– From Chimney to Eaves
– From Top of Exterior Wall to Foundation
– From Foundation to Immediate Landscape
– From Immediate Landscape to 200’
– Mitigation Plan

27. Hazard Assessment
Sample Checksheets… Guide Your Review

28. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Chapter 5 Building Design, Location, and
Construction
– General Construction – NFPA 1141
– Location and Separation – 30 Feet

29. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Roof Design and Materials
• Attic Vents and Screening
• Overhanging projections
– Balconies, Decks, Patio
Coverings, Open Roofs
– Heavy Timber, Ignition
Resistant, etc.
– 1 Hour Fire Rated Assembly

30. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Exterior Vertical Walls
– Ignition Resistant, 20 Minute Rated Assembly
• Exterior Openings
– Windows, Doors, Attic Vents, Subfloor Vents
– Screened with Noncombustible Wire Mesh
– Tempered, Multilayer, Block, 20 Minute Rating
– Solid-core, 20 Minute Rating

31. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Chimneys and Flues
– Spark Arresters
• Accessory Buildings
– 30 Feet
• Exterior Exposure Hazards
– Heat sources
– Grills, Outdoor Fireplaces-
Spark Arresters
– Combustible Materials – 30
Feet

32. Bastrop County Complex Fire:
Cola Vista

33. Bastrop County Complex Fire
Fire Spread
Cola Vista Neighborhood

34. Bastrop County Complex Fire

35. Bastrop County Complex Fire

36. Bastrop County Complex Fire
Fire Spread

37. Bastrop County Complex Fire
Noncombustible Trim
Metal Roof
Noncombustible Siding

38. Bastrop County Complex Fire
Metal Framework
Double-Paned Windows
Noncombustible Decking

40. Bastrop County Complex Fire:
Cardinal Lane

41. Bastrop County Complex Fire

49. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Chapter 6 Fuel
Modification Area
The “3 R’s” of Defensible
Space Landscaping
– Removal
– Reduction
– Replacement

50. Structure Ignition Zone

51. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Home Ignition Zone 1: The home and its
immediate surroundings, up to approximately
30 feet.
– Low-flammability plants, landscaping
materials, accessories
– Prune limbs 10 ft. from ground; generous space
between trees
– Mow, prune, and water regularly
– NO firewood or propane tanks

52. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Home Ignition Zone 2: 30 to 100 ft from home
– 30 ft between tree clusters; 20 ft between
individual trees
– Fuel breaks
– Branches and leaves 6 to 10 feet from ground
– Remove heavy accumulation of flammable debris

53. www.nfpa.org/1144
• Home Ignition Zone 3: 100 to 200 ft from
home
– Remove heavy accumulation of woody debris
– Remove smaller conifers growing between trees
– Reduce density of taller trees

54. Bastrop County Complex FireN
>100ft

55. Bastrop County Complex FireN
>100ft

56. The NFPA Process
• Who Writes the
Standard?
• How Does it Work?
• How Can YOU
Participate?

57. NFPA Process:
Who Writes the Standards?
NFPA Technical Committees
• “Consensus bodies”
• Typical maximum size of 30
• Overall; ~ 7,000 Volunteers
• ~ 225 Technical
Committees, balanced by interest
categories
• ~ 350 Codes & Standards

58. NFPA Process:
NFPA 1141 & NFPA 144
• Technical Committee on Forest
and Rural Fire Protection
• TC Scope: This Committee shall have primary
responsibility for documents on fire protection for
rural, suburban, forest, grass, brush, and tundra areas.
This Committee shall also have primary responsibility
for documents on Class A foam and water enhancing
gels, and their utilization for all wildland and structural
fire fighting. This excludes fixed fire protection systems.

59. NFPA Process: Five Steps
1) Call for Proposals
2) Report on Proposals (ROP)
3) Report on Comments (ROC)
4) Technical Committee Report (TCR) Session of
the Annual Meeting
5) Standards Council Consideration/Issuance

60. NFPA Process:
Getting Involved
• Public Proposals
• Public Comments
• Committee Membership
• www.nfpa.org
– Document Information
– Proposal and Comment Forms
– Application for TC Membership

61. NFPA Process:
Upcoming Changes
• Re-engineering of the Process
• Board of Directors – Approved November
2010
• Regulations Governing the Development of
NFPA Standards (Fall 2013 Cycle)
– Take Advantage of Technology
– Online Submission for Ease of Use
– Living Document for TC Work

62. Wildland Fire Safety Standards
• Standardization and Utilization
• NFPA 1141 Overview
• NFPA 1144 Overview
• Brief Overview of Standards Development
• How YOU Can Get Involved!

63. Wildland Fire Safety Standards
• NFPA 1141: Standard for Fire Protection
Infrastructure for Land Development in
Wildland, Rural, and Suburban Areas, 2012
Edition
• www.nfpa.org/1141
• NFPA 1144: Standard for Reducing Structure
Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, 2008 Edition
• www.nfpa.or/144

64. NFPA Standards:
www.nfpa.org/DOC#
• NFPA 1142: Standard on Water Supplies for
Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting
• NFPA 1143: Standard for Wildland Fire
Management
• NFPA 1051: Standard for Wildland Fire Fighter
Professional Qualifications
• NFPA 1977: Standard on Protective Clothing and
Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting
• NFPA 1984: Standard on Respirators for Wildland
Fire Fighting Operations

65. Questions