PREFACE
Introduction
Internationally, code officials recognize the need for a modern, up-to-date code addressing the mitigation of fire in the urban-wildland interface. The International Wildland-Urban Interface CodeTM, in this 2003 edition, is designed to bridge the gap between enforcement of the International Building Code® and International Fire Code® by mitigating the hazard of wildfires through model code regulations, which safeguard the public health and safety in all communities, large and small.
This comprehensive urban-wildland interface code establishes minimum regulations for land use and the built environment in designated urban-wildland interface areas using prescriptive and performance-related provisions. It is founded on data collected from tests and fire incidents, technical reports and mitigation strategies from around the world. This 2003 edition is fully compatible with all the International CodesTM (“I-Codes” TM) published by the International Code Council® (ICC®), including the International Building Code®, ICC Electrical CodeTM, International Energy Conservation Code®, International Existing Builiding Code®, International Fire Code®, International Fuel Gas Code®, International Mechanical Code®, ICC Performance CodeTM, International Plumbing Code®, International Private Sewage Disposal Code®, International Property Maintenance Code®, International Residential Code® and International Zoning Code®.
The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code provisions provide many benefits, including the model code development process, which offers an international forum for fire safety professionals to discuss performance and prescriptive code requirements. This forum provides an excellent arena to debate proposed revisions. This model code also encourages international consistency in the application of provisions.
Development
This is the first edition of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (2003) and is the culmination of an effort initiated in 2001 by the ICC and the three statutory members of the International Code Council: Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) and Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI). The intent was to draft a comprehensive set of regulations for mitigating the hazard to life and property from the intrusion of fire from wildland exposures and fire from adjacent structures, and preventing structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels. Technical content of the 2000 Wildland- Urban Interface Code, published by the International Fire Code Institute, was utilized as the basis for the development, followed by the publication of the 2001 Final Draft. This 2003 edition is based on the Final Draft, with changes approved in the 2002 ICC Code Development Process. A new edition such as this is promulgated every three years.
With the development and publication of the family of International Codes in 2000, the continued development and maintenance of the model codes individually promulgated by BOCA (“BOCA National Codes”), ICBO (“Uniform Codes”) and SBCCI (“Standard Codes”) was discontinued. The 2003 International Codes, as well as their predecessors—the 2000 International Codes—are intended to be the successor set of codes to those codes previously developed by BOCA, ICBO and SBCCI.
The development of a single family of comprehensive and coordinated International Codes was a significant milestone in the development of regulations for the built environment. The timing of this publication mirrors a milestone in the change in structure of the model codes, namely, the pending consolidation of BOCA, ICBO and SBCCI into the ICC. The activities and services previously provided by the individual model code organizations will be the responsibility of the consolidated ICC.
This code is founded on principles intended to mitigate the hazard from fires through the development of provisions that adequately protect public health, safety and welfare; provisions that do not unnecessarily increase construction costs; provisions that do not restrict the use of new materials, products or methods of construction; and provisions that do not give preferential treatment to particular types or classes of materials, products or methods of construction.
Adoption
The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code is available for adoption and use by jurisdictions internationally. Its use within a governmental jurisdiction is intended to be accomplished through adoption by reference in accordance with proceedings establishing the jurisdiction’s laws. At the time of adoption, jurisdictions should insert the appropriate information in provisions requiring specific local information, such as the name of the adopting jurisdiction. These locations are shown in bracketed words in small capital letters in the code and in the sample ordinance. The sample adoption ordinance on page v addresses several key elements of a code adoption ordinance, including the information required for insertion into the code text.