Last week, the Payson, AZ, Town Council unanimously voted to adopt the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire code, which would impact construction of new homes and landscaping of existing homes. Citing government intrusion into individual rights, the previous Council thought the WUI code was too "heavy-handed" in telling residents how to manage their property. Rim Country residents live in an area ripe for a forest fire thanks to dense, dry forests, tons of dead fuels on every acre, hot summers and the second highest frequency of lightning strikes in the contiguous U.S.

The threat of wildfire is increasing in the United States. In 2015, more than 68,000 wildfires burned more than 4,636 structures and 10 million acres — the highest number of acres burned on record. The WUI code creates defensible spaces around buildings and reduces the threat of a fire spreading. Moreover, concrete structures meet the requirements for Ignition-resistant Construction and Material in the code. NRMCA has authored model legislation that will ensure your community can receive the same protections and can advocate for its passage at the state and local levels. Build with Strength, a coalition led by NRMCA that promotes concrete building systems through communications, project promotion, education and advocacy, can help leverage safety standards to help place more concrete.