Austin May Amend Codes for Wildfire Protection

Austin, Texas, is considering a plan to require all new homes and businesses constructed near wildland areas to be built with wildfire resistant materials. Austin fire officials say the new standards would make buildings more resistant to wildfire and will be essential to protecting structures in the city and in Travis County.

Nearly two-thirds of structures in Austin are considered to be in the wildland urban interface, where homes are close to undeveloped land. The wildland urban interface code would mandate that all new structures in these vulnerable areas be built with ignition-resistant materials to protect them from burning embers.

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