Agencies must make their existing buildings on federal lands more fire-resistant and must meet certain fire standards when constructing or leasing new ones, under an executive order from President Obama.
The order’s goal is to “enhance the resilience of [government] buildings when making investment decisions to ensure continued performance of essential functions and to reduce risks to its buildings’ occupants in the event of a wildfire.”
Within three months, each agency must assure that ongoing alterations to buildings above 5,000 gross square feet that are deemed to be at moderate or great wildfire risk meet the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code or an equivalent. A similar requirement applies to newly constructed or newly leased buildings meeting that definition, and agencies are “strongly encouraged” to bring such buildings that are not currently undergoing alterations up to the same standards.
In addition, agencies with buildings meeting that definition must complete a wildfire risk assessment and are strongly encouraged to consider “creating and maintaining a defensible space” around those deemed at highest risk.
At their discretion, agencies may impose standards higher than the code and may apply similar policies to smaller buildings that otherwise meet the definition.
