Board advances draft WUI code requiring more wildfire-resistant siding and decks, keeps HVAC measures optional

The Flagstaff City Board of Appeals on Tuesday voted to recommend moving forward with draft amendments to the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code that would increase noncombustible construction standards for new residential siding and decks, while leaving proposed HVAC filtration changes as optional and for further study.

Neil Chapman, the staff presenter, introduced outside researchers who helped compile local cost comparisons and risk analyses. Kamiko Barrett of the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience said the group’s sample analyses — which included sites in the Intermountain West and California — show new-construction cost increases for wildfire-resistant assemblies generally in the 2–3% range depending on the components. "For new home construction…that cost comparison is very negotiable — or…