The FireHard system — including the WER rating, technical documents, and design guides — is a voluntary framework based on current best practices from wildfire research in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It is not a building code, regulation, or mandatory standard.
The FireHard system is voluntary, based on current international best practices — not regulation. These design guides are practical, specification-grade fixes you can implement now.
The self-assessment guide walks you through every exterior element: roof, eaves, vents, windows, doors, cladding, decks, fencing, and perimeter zone. For each, you identify the material and condition, and the guide maps it to a WER level.
Your WER level is determined by three factors: vegetation type near your home, distance to that vegetation, and slope from the vegetation toward your building. Uphill slopes amplify fire behaviour — the self-assessment includes separate lookup tables for flat, gentle uphill, and steep uphill conditions. Formal slope correction: 5–10° adds one WER level, 10–15° adds one to two levels, 15–20° adds two levels, and slopes exceeding 20° default to WER-4 (P.Eng. required). Estimated radiant heat: WER-1 <10 kW/m², WER-2 10–19 kW/m², WER-3 19–40 kW/m², WER-4 >40 kW/m².
Your overall WER is determined by your weakest element — because wildfire finds the weakest point.
You need: the guide (printed or digital), a camera, 30 minutes, and daylight.
The Canadian Wildfire Information System (CWFIS) provides real-time fire weather maps and historical fire data for your region. It's a free NRCan resource that can give you context before you start your self-assessment. Your WER level is determined by what's actually on and around your property — the CWFIS maps help you understand the broader fire climate.
Once you know your WER level, grab the design guide for that level. It tells you exactly what to do — materials, specifications, priorities, and costs. Practical measures you can start this weekend.
Class A roofing, gutter guards, 1.5m NC perimeter zone, basic vent screening (3mm mesh), defensible space zones. CNEL tiers apply at any WER level: CNEL-1 (6–10m) requires NC ground cover, NC fencing, tempered glazing and enclosed soffits on facing elevation. CNEL-2 (3–6m) adds Type X sheathing and full NC cladding. CNEL-3 (<3m) requires fire-rated wall assembly and wildfire shutters. Equivalency guidance for alternative materials.
All WER-1 plus enclosed NC soffits, ember-resistant vents (ASTM E2886), tempered glazing, NC or fire-rated fencing within 6m. CNEL tiers on neighbour-facing elevations: CNEL-1 adds tempered glazing and NC soffits. CNEL-2 adds Type X gypsum sheathing, full NC cladding, mineral wool insulation. CNEL-3 adds fire-rated assembly and wildfire shutters. Deemed-to-satisfy and engineered equivalency paths.
All WER-2 plus NC cladding to ground (or engineered equivalent), wildfire shutters, NC/FRT decking, fire-rated timber options for fencing and outbuildings. CNEL on neighbour-facing elevations: CNEL-2 measures overlap with WER-3 specs. CNEL-3 adds sealed soffits with no vents, radiant heat barrier between properties, and fire-rated shutters on all facing openings.
Complete NC exterior envelope, BAL-40+ equivalent (Bushfire Attack Level, the Australian benchmark), fire-rated wall assemblies, steel/bronze shutters all elevations. CNEL fully integrated — WER-4 exceeds all CNEL tiers. Professional P.Eng. assessment required including radiation modelling.
Per-face assessment, property-line method, consolidated spec tables WER-1 through WER-4, CNEL standard, community design, cost comparison new vs retrofit.
Formatted specification tables — wall assemblies, roof & eave assemblies, mitigation categories. All WER levels and CNEL tiers side by side.
Some of the most popular residential design features are among the most dangerous in wildfire-prone areas. These features are not addressed by standard building codes. They are addressed by FireHard.
NIST, IBHS, and NRC research has identified specific construction features and maintenance habits that dramatically increase the probability of structure loss during wildfire events. Each card shows a common “inviting disaster” practice.
Canadian wildfire insurance is changing fast. California already requires insurers to offer discounts for hardened homes. Canada will follow. When insurance rebate programs arrive — and they will — the homeowners who documented their work will be first in line.
Every hardening measure you implement is an investment in your home's resilience and your future insurability. Document it properly now, and you won't have to redo the work later to prove it.
Photograph every element before work starts, during installation, and after completion. Include close-ups of materials, labels, and connections. Date-stamped photos are best.
Keep all material receipts and contractor invoices. These prove what was installed, when, and by whom. Store digital copies — paper fades.
Complete your FireHard self-assessment and keep the filled-in checklist. Record your starting level and your target level. This becomes the baseline for your hardening record.
For each design guide item you complete, note what was done, what materials were used, and the date. A simple spreadsheet or notebook works. Match each item to the FireHard specification it satisfies.
Create a "FireHard Hardening File" — digital folder or physical binder. When your insurer asks what you've done, hand them the file. When rebate programs launch, you're ready.
California's Safer from Wildfires regulation already requires insurers to offer discounts for hardened homes. WER covers all 10 qualifying measures. Canadian programs are coming — the question is when, not if. The homeowners who can prove their work will benefit first.
The WER v1.0 Technical Document and six construction detail guides provide the full engineering basis behind the design guides. These are primarily for professionals — engineers, architects, building officials, and contractors.
Standard construction details and product-specific installation specifications are currently under development. The existing modules provide material requirements and general assembly guidance. Detailed CAD-ready construction drawings and the Component & Assembly Reference database are coming. Help us prioritize →
Six guides covering every element of the building envelope in specification-grade detail. Full research references, product options, cost analysis, installation details, CNEL specifications for each element, and equivalency guidance for alternative materials and engineered solutions.
Separation-distance-based framework for hardening building faces exposed to neighbouring structures. Applies to any home within 10m of another structure.
Three CNEL tiers based on separation distance and neighbour condition. Decision tree, full specifications, high-risk features checklist, outbuilding guidance, and community effectiveness.
In-depth guidance on specific assembly design topics, building science integration, and advanced detailing for wildfire resistance in Canadian climates.
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