Glendale (PDF) - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

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Natural Hazards Mitigation PlanCity of Glendale, CaliforniaSection 7 – Wildfiresstructures from external fires and contain internal fires for longer periods. That portion of astructure most susceptible to ignition from a wildland fire is the roof, due to the deposition ofburning cinders or brands. Burning brands are often deposited far in advance of the actual fireby winds. Roofs can also be ignited by direct contact with burning trees and large shrubs(Fisher, 1995). The danger of combustible wood roofs, such as wooden shingles and shakes, hasbeen known to fire fighting professionals since 1923, when California’s first major urban firedisaster occurred in Berkeley. It was not until 1988, however, that California was able to passlegislation calling for, at a minimum, Class C roofing in fire hazard areas. Then, in the early1990s, there were several other major fires, including the Paint fire of 1990 in Santa Barbara,the 1991 Tunnel fire in Oakland/Berkeley, and the 1993 Laguna Beach fire, whose severe losseswere attributed in great measure to the large percentage of combustible roofs in the affectedareas. In 1995-1996 new roofing materials standards were approved by the Californialegislature for Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.Significantly, the City of Glendale has been at the forefront of the State on this issue since theearly 1980s. Specifically, in 1984, Glendale adopted a Fire Safe Roofing Ordinance that requireda minimum Class B roof covering for all new and re-roof applications City-wide. In 1989,Glendale adopted legislation (the Fire Safe Roofing Code) that amended the City’s roofingrequirements to ban the installation of wood roof material City-wide, and to upgrade theminimum classification from B to A in the high fire hazard areas. Today, Glendale requires allnew roofs and re-roofs amounting to more than 25 percent of the original roof area to be donein Class A roof covering.So what do these Classes A, B and C mean? To help consumers determine the fire resistance ofthe roofing materials they may be considering, roofing materials are rated as to their fireresistance into three categories that are based on the results of test fire conditions that thesematerials are subjected to under rigorous laboratory conditions, in accordance with test methodASTM-E-108 developed by the American Society of Testing Materials. The ratingclassification provides information regarding the capacity of the roofing material to resist a firethat develops outside the building on which the roofing material is installed (The Institute forLocal Self Government, 1992). The three ratings are as follows:Class A: Roof coverings that are effective against severe fire exposures. Under such exposures,roof coverings of this class:o Are not readily flammable;o Afford a high degree of fire protection to the roof deck;o Do not slip from position; ando Do not produce flying brands.Class B: Roof coverings that are effective against moderate fire exposures. Under suchexposures, roof coverings of this class:o Are not readily flammable;o Afford a moderate degree of fire protection to the roof deck;o Do not slip from position; ando Do not produce flying brands.Class C: Roof coverings that are effective against light fire exposures. Under such exposures,roof coverings of this class:o Are not readily flammable;o Afford a measurable degree of fire protection to the roof deck;o Do not slip from position; ando Do not produce flying brands.2006 PAGE 7 - 23
Natural Hazards Mitigation PlanCity of Glendale, CaliforniaSection 7 – WildfiresNon-Rated Roof coverings have not been tested for protection against fire exposure. Undersuch exposures, non-rated roof coverings:o May be readily flammable;o May offer little or no protection to the roof deck, allowing fire to penetrate intoattic space and the entire building; ando May pose a serious fire brand hazard, producing brands that could ignite otherstructures a considerable distance away.Attic ventilation openings are also a concern regarding the fire survivability of a structure.Attics require significant amounts of cross-ventilation to prevent the degradation of woodrafters and ceiling joists. This ventilation is typically provided by openings to the outside of thestructure, but these openings can provide pathways for burning brands and flames to bedeposited within the attic. Therefore, it is important that all ventilation openings be properlyscreened to prevent this. Additional prevention measures that can be taken to reduce thepotential for ignition of attic spaces are to “use non-combustible exterior siding materials and tosite trees and shrubs far enough away from the walls of the house to prevent flame travel intothe attic even if a tree or shrub does torch” (Fisher, 1995).The type of exterior wall construction used can also help a structure survive a fire. Ideally,exterior walls should be made of non-combustible materials such as stucco or masonry. Duringa wildfire, the dangerous active burning at a given location typically lasts about 5 to 10 minutes(Fisher, 1995), so if the exterior walls are made of non-combustible or fire-resistant materials,the structure has a better chance of surviving. For the same reason, the type of windows usedin a structure can also help reduce the potential for fire to impact a structure. Single-pane,annealed glass windows are known for not performing well during fires; thermal radiation anddirect contact with flames cause these windows to break because the glass under the windowframe is protected and remains cooler than the glass in the center of the window. Thisdifferential thermal expansion of the glass causes the window to break. Larger windows aremore susceptible to fracturing when exposed to high heat than smaller windows. Multiple-panewindows, and tempered glass windows perform much better than single-pane windows,although they do cost more. Fisher (1995) indicates that in Australia, researchers have noticedthat the use of metal screens helps protect windows from thermal radiation. Some homeownersmay consider the use of exterior, heavy-duty metal blinds that are dropped down into position,at least on the windows in the exposed portion of the structure facing the wildland area.Fire sprinklers are very effective at controlling structural fires, saving property and lives. In1988, Glendale passed an ordinance requiring automatic fire sprinklers in existing structuresfour stories or more in height, and since 1989, the City of Glendale has required all new oneandtwo-family structures to have fire sprinklers. Fire sprinklers can help contain a fire thatstarts inside a structure from becoming a potential incendiary source, impacting other nearbystructures and brush. Fire sprinklers are not likely to protect a structure from an externalwildland fire, however. Sprinklers permanently mounted on the roof have been suggested as adefensive measure, but most authorities argue against the value of external sprinklers as a viablealternative to fire-resistant roofing materials(http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/gtr-050/struct.html).The City of Glendale has adopted the California Building and Fire Codes with local additionsand amendments (City Ordinance 5329 - Glendale Building and Safety Code, Volume I, Section715 which deals with construction requirements in fire hazard areas, and Volume VI, whichpertains to fire and life-safety requirements). These additions and amendments make theGlendale Building and Safety Code more restrictive than the minimum State Code / modelordinance. For specific requirements regarding roofing standards (non-combustible Class Aroofs), construction materials and standards including fire resistive siding and eaves, the2006 PAGE 7 - 24
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NOTES:This map is intended for gene
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HospitalsPartnershipsWithin City an
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