401.1 Scope. Wildland-urban interface areas shall be provided with emergency vehicle access and water supply in accordance with this chapter.

401.2 Objective. The objective of this chapter is to establish the minimum requirements for emergency vehicle access and water supply for buildings and structures located in the wildland-urban interface areas.

401.3 General safety precautions. General safety precautions shall be in accordance with this chapter. See also Appendix A.

402.1 Subdivisions.

402.1.1 Access. New subdivisions, as determined by this jurisdiction, shall be provided with fire apparatus access roads in accordance with the International Fire Code and access requirements in accordance with Section 403.

402.1.2 Water supply. New subdivisions as determined by this jurisdiction shall be provided with water supply in accordance with Section 404.

402.2 Individual structures.

402.2.1 Access. Individual structures hereafter constructed or relocated into or within wildland-urban interface areas shall be provided with fire apparatus access in accordance with the International Fire Code and driveways in accordance with Section 403.2. Marking of fire protection equipment shall be provided in accordance with Section 403.5 and address markers shall be provided in accordance with Section 403.6.

402.2.2 Water supply. Individual structures hereafter constructed or relocated into or within wildland-urban interface areas shall be provided with a conforming water supply in accordance with Section 404.

403.1 Restricted access. Where emergency vehicle access is restricted because of secured access roads or driveways or where immediate access is necessary for life-saving or fire-fighting purposes, the code official is authorized to require a key box to be installed in an accessible location. The key box shall be of a type approved by the code official and shall contain keys to gain necessary access as required by the code official.

403.2 Driveways. Driveways shall be provided when any portion of an exterior wall of the first story of a building is located more than 150 feet (45 720 mm) from a fire apparatus access road. Driveways shall provide a minimum unobstructed width of 12 feet (3658 mm) and a minimum unobstructed height of 13 feet 6 inches (4115 mm). Driveways in excess of 150 feet (45 720 mm) in length shall be provided with turnarounds. Driveways in excess of 200 feet (60 960 mm) in length and less than 20 feet (6096 mm) in width shall be provided with turnouts in addition to turnarounds.

A driveway shall not serve in excess of five dwelling units.

Driveway turnarounds shall have inside turning radii of not less than 30 feet (9144 mm) and outside turning radii of not less than 45 feet (13 716 mm). Driveways that connect with a road or roads at more than one point may be considered as having a turnaround if all changes of direction meet the radii requirements for driveway turnarounds.

Driveway turnouts shall be an all-weather road surface at least 10 feet (3048 mm) wide and 30 feet (9144 mm) long. Driveway turnouts shall be located as required by the code official.

Vehicle load limits shall be posted at both entrances to bridges on driveways and private roads. Design loads for bridges shall be established by the code official.

403.3 Fire apparatus access road. When required, fire apparatus access roads shall be all-weather roads with a minimum width of 20 feet (6096 mm) and a clear height of 13 feet 6 inches (4115 mm); shall be designed to accommodate the loads and turning radii for fire apparatus; and have a gradient negotiable by the specific fire apparatus normally used at that location within the jurisdiction. Dead-end roads in excess of 150 feet (45 720 mm) in length shall be provided with turnarounds as approved by the code official. An all-weather road surface shall be any surface material acceptable to the code official that would normally allow the passage of emergency service vehicles to protect structures and wildlands within the jurisdiction.

403.4 Marking of roads. Approved signs or other approved notices shall be provided and maintained for access roads and driveways to identify such roads and prohibit the obstruction thereof or both.