Ordinance 2007-373 mandates the replacement of all Wood Shake/Shingle Roofs by 2012. | Download the ordinance

Replace Roofing with Fire-Resistant MaterialsSave up to 70% Re-Roofing Costs through FEMA sponsor funding.

Fire protection can involve a variety of changes to your house and property -- changes that can vary in complexity and cost. You may be able to make some types of changes yourself. But complicated or large-scale changes and those that affect the structure of your house or its electrical wiring and plumbing should be carried out only by a professional contractor licensed to work in your state, county, or city. One example of fire protection is replacing flammable roofing materials with fire-resistant materials. Recent studies have shown that there is a 51% fire risk reduction for homes with non-combustible roofing material versus shake shingle roofs. This is something that most homeowners would probably hire a contractor to do.

Some roofing materials, especially wood shakes, are less resistant to fire than others. When wildfires and brush fires spread to houses, it is often because burning branches, leaves, and other debris buoyed by the heated air are carried by the wind and fall on roofs. If the roof of your house is covered with wood shake shingles, you should consider replacing them with fire-resistant materials. In the City of Big Bear Lake a minimum Class A roofing material is required for all new roofs.

You can replace your existing roofing materials with slate, terra cotta or other types of tile, or standing-seam metal roofing or a Class A asphalt shingle roofing material. Replacing roofing materials is difficult and dangerous work. Unless you are skilled in roofing and have all the necessary tools and equipment, you will probably want to hire a roofing contractor to do the work. Also a roofing contractor can advise you on the relative advantages and disadvantages of various fire-resistant roofing materials.

Estimated Cost

If you hire a contractor to replace your existing roof covering, you can expect to pay about $ 4.00 per square foot for asphalt shingle roofs. For example, a house measuring 60 feet by 30 feet will have about 1,800 square feet of roof area. So for this house, an asphalt shingle roof would cost about $7,200.

Other Sources of Information

"Five Hot Tips for Homeowners on the Edge," by Herbert McLean, in American Forest, vol. 99, no. 5-6, 1993
Guide to Landscaping for Fire Safety, 2nd. Ed., University of California, 1992
"Firescaping: Ways To Keep Your House and Garden from Going up in Smoke," by Joan Boulton in Horticulture, The Magazine of American Gardening, vol. 69, no. 8, 1991
Protecting Residences from Wildfires: A Guide for Homeowners, Lawmakers, and Planners, Technical Report No. 50, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1981

Information is also available from the National Roofing Contractors Association, at 1-800-323-9545