Score: +8 (13/4/5)
Orange County Grand Jury • 2002-2003

Wood Roofs Are Dangerous

Published: November 20, 2002 11 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 4 findings

F1
There is a lack of uniformity in local building codes involving roofs for identical environmental conditions within Orange County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Each responding jurisdictional agency should consider amending the building code to require the most fire retardant class of roof covering (Class A) for new construction of all residential structures (Group R) in all fire zones. (Findings 1 through 4)
F2
The testing and qualification standards of wood shakes and shingles are below the environmental conditions of Orange County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Each responding jurisdictional agency should consider amending the building code to require the most fire retardant class of roof covering (Class A) for re-roofing of all residential structures (Group R) in all fire zones, when more than 50 percent of the roof is replaced within one year. (Findings 1 through 4) A response to Recommendation 1 is required from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the cities of: Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Laguna Hills, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Ana, Stanton, Tustin, Westminster. A response to Recommendation 2 is required from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the cities of: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Westminster. California State Fire Marshal, California Incident Reporting System: http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/pdf/cfirs/residentialstruc.pdf 2 CHEMCO Inc., The Finest Exterior Fire Retardant treatment For Wood Roofs, http://www.chemco.org/subpages/qa.html#how-long. Wesco Cedar, Inc, FTX Fire Retardant Shakes and Shingles are Legal and Safe in California, Approval & Specifications, http://www.wescocedar.com/approvalspecs.html 4 2001 California Building Code, Chapter 15, Section 1501. 10 5 Firehouse, Fire Politics, November 1994. California State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Zoning and Mitigation Code Adoption: http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/pdf/LocalAdoption.pdf 7 Committee for Firesafe Dwellings, Concrete Roof Tiles, Report BRC.01, . Office of Public Insurance Counsel, Homeowners Insurance Underwriting Guidelines, Changes in the Market, http://www.opic.state.tx.us/homeguide.html. USAA Educational Foundation, Good Information for Good Decisions, Insurance, How to Reduce Your Premiums, http://www.usaaedfoundation.org/insurance/home/hi04/hi04.htm. 10Sacramento Business Journal, July 8, 2002, http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2002/07/08/story7.html. 11Dulley, James, New residential metal roofs are attractive, long lasting and efficient, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, CA, update bulletin 782 (http://www.dulley.com). 11
F3
The cities’ and county’s roofing codes do not adequately take into account the climate, particularly the Santa Ana winds, and topographical conditions unique to Orange County. 9
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Fire conflagrations stress finite fire fighting resources especially during the period of Santa Ana winds. A response to Findings 1 through 4 is required from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the Cities of: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Westminster.
No recommendations for this finding

Agency Responses 28

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Orange County County