Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Local Government Committee
HB 1254
Brief Description: Implementing the International Wildland Urban Interface Code.
Sponsors: Representatives Duerr, Berg, Ramel, Macri, Pollet, Davis and Hunt.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Provides that the entirety of the International Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code, rather than selected portions of the code, is adopted and incorporated into the State Building Code upon the completion of a statewide wildfire hazard map and base-level wildfire risk map for each county.
Hearing Date: 1/22/25
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

The State Building Code.

The State Building Code (SBC) establishes minimum statewide performance standards and requirements for building construction and construction materials in the state, consistent with accepted standards of engineering, fire, and life safety.? The State Building Code Council (SBCC) is responsible for updating, maintaining, and amending the SBC.? The SBC is comprised of a number of model codes and standards, which are adopted by reference in the State Building Code Act (Act).? Model codes and standards adopted in the Act include the International Building Code, the International Residential Code, the Uniform Plumbing Code, and the Uniform Plumbing Code Standards.

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The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

The International Wildland-Urban?Interface (WUI) Code is a model code, which supplements a jurisdiction's building and fire codes, developed and published by the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC).? The ICC is a nonprofit organization that develops and publishes model codes for building, construction, and design standards.? Updates to the codes are developed and published on a three-year cycle.

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The International WUI Code establishes minimum regulations for land use and the built environment in designated wildland-urban interface areas for the stated purpose of mitigating wildfire hazards.? The International WUI Code applies to the construction, alteration, movement, repair, maintenance, and use of any building, structure, or premises within the wildland-urban interface areas of a jurisdiction.? "Wildland-urban interface area" is defined in the International WUI Code as the geographical area where structures and other human developments meet or intermingle with wildland or vegetative fuels.

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Upon completion of the wildfire hazard map and base-level wildfire risk map for each county, the SBCC may only adopt those portions of the International WUI Code as set forth in statute.

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All counties, cities, and towns may adopt the International WUI Code in whole or in part.? In adopting and maintaining provisions of the International WUI code, any amendment to the International WUI Code may not result in a code that is more than the minimum performance standards and requirements contained in the published model code.

Summary of Bill:

Upon completion of a statewide wildfire hazard map and base-level wildfire risk map for each county, the entirety of the International WUI Code is incorporated into the SBC.

Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 15, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.