‘Home hardening’: City of Bend plans to adopt new state residential building code aimed at reducing wildfire risks
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend City Council is moving forward with plans to adopt new home-hardening requirements aimed at making new residential buildings more resilient to wildfires.
During a work session last Wednesday, councilors directed staff to begin the local adoption process for Section R327 of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code.
Section R327 is a state-adopted building code that local jurisdictions can choose to implement for new, detached residential structures. The standards focus on construction practices that reduce the risk of ignition during wildfire events.
The council's decision followed reviews of various options and timelines by city officials to improve community safety and regional consistency.
Section R327 establishes specific construction requirements for newly built dwellings and accessory structures.
Under the proposed rules, new homes would be required to use non-combustible or ignition-resistant materials for exterior components such as roofing, gutters and windows. These measures are intended to reduce the risk of a structure catching fire during a wildfire event.
The requirements focus on new construction and would not apply to apartment buildings, commercial construction or renovations to existing buildings.
While structures like mixed-use facilities and apartments are not regulated under Section R327, they are often already subject to fire resilience standards through the Oregon Structural Specialty Code.
The Bend City Council also held discussions regarding defensible space, which refers to a buffer zone created around a structure to slow the spread of fire.
Potential updates to local defensible space requirements will be considered separately from the home-hardening code. Because this topic involves multiple city departments, it will be brought back for council discussion at a future meeting, following additional public input.
Adopting the new standards would bring the city in line with neighboring jurisdictions. Section R327 is scheduled to take effect on April 1 in the City of Sisters and unincorporated areas of Deschutes County. officials noted that a consistent regional approach helps support overall community wildfire resilience.
The proposed ordinance is scheduled for consideration and public comment during the City Council business meeting on April 1. The council will determine a specific implementation timeline during that meeting, with the code potentially taking effect this spring.
More information about the proposal and meeting details can be found at bendoregon.gov/citycouncil.
Here is the presentation councilors received:
