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.
This guide is for local and regional government staff — planners, building officials, emergency coordinators, and elected officials. For homeowner guidance, see the self-assessment.
Free construction specifications your community can reference in development permits, building conditions, and incentive programs — without writing them from scratch.
Canada has the NRC National Guide for community-level WUI planning. FireSmart for vegetation management. Provincial emergency management frameworks for evacuation and response. The building code for life safety — getting people out alive. What's been missing is the construction specification bridge — the document that tells a homeowner, builder, or designer exactly what to specify so the building is still standing after the fire passes.
The building code's job is life safety during evacuation. A 1-hour fire-rated wall can perform exactly as designed and the building can still be a total loss — because everyone got out alive, and that's what the code required. FireHard's job is property protection: keep the building standing. These are different objectives. FireHard fills that specific gap with specification-grade construction detail your existing programs can reference.
Four-level exposure rating system (WER-1 through WER-4) with complete construction specifications, material lists, and assembly details for each level. Self-assessment tool for homeowners. Close Neighbour Exposure Level (CNEL) system for structure-to-structure fire in dense subdivisions. All free, always.
Choose the level that fits your governance structure and risk tolerance. Most communities start at option 1 or 2.
Make FireHard's free self-assessment available through your municipal website, building permit counter, and community events. Include in new homeowner packages for WUI-adjacent developments. Link from your wildfire preparedness page. Cost: zero.
Property tax credits, rebates, or grants for WER-rated hardening. Insurance premium discount partnerships. ICLR data shows $4 saved per $1 spent on wildfire hardening, with benefit-cost ratios of 30:1 for new construction in high-hazard areas.
Under the Local Government Act (BC), DPAs can require WER compliance for new construction in WUI zones. Example language: "All new construction within the Wildfire DPA shall comply with FireHard WER-2 specifications as a minimum, or the WER level determined by professional assessment, whichever is higher." This uses existing legislative authority without building code changes.
Require WER assessment as part of building permit applications in WUI zones. Reference design guide specifications as permit conditions. For maximum adoption, zoning bylaws can require WER compliance as a condition of development. Requires community engagement and political support.
In subdivisions where homes are 1.5 to 6 metres apart, a fully involved neighbouring structure produces 20–80 kW/m² of radiant heat — enough to cascade ignitions through a block. The Canadian Building Code's spatial separation rules assume fire department response within minutes. During a WUI event, that assumption fails.
The CNEL system — unique among global wildfire standards — provides tiered protection for this specific problem. Even communities with low wildland exposure may have high CNEL exposure in dense residential areas. Learn more about CNEL →
Hazard framework
Community planning
Emergency response
Vegetation management
Defensible space
Community recognition
Construction specifications
Material & assembly detail
Structure-to-structure (CNEL)
Three programs. Three different jobs. All complementary. See the global standards comparison for how this fits internationally.
NRC National Guide for WUI Fires (2021) — Community planning, hazard assessment, emergency response
FireSmart Canada — Vegetation management, community recognition program
Canadian Wildfire Information System (CWFIS) — Real-time fire weather maps, historical data
ICLR — Cost-benefit analysis for wildfire-resistant construction
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