Steep-Slope Roofs in the WUI: High-Leverage Detailing for Wildfire Resilience
Steep-slope roofs are a primary interface between homes and wildfire exposure. Wind-driven embers can collect in roof valleys, gutters, tile gaps, and vent openings—these seemingly minor construction details can determine whether an ember storm becomes an attic fire.
In this webinar, we will focus on high-end residential design in California’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) and translate wildfire-resilient roofing concepts into buildable details and quality-control checks. We will discuss the history of WUI zones and fire building code restrictions for steep slope roofs. We will also compare common Class A steep-slope roof systems (standing-seam metal, tile and slate, asphalt composition, wood-shakes, and composite shingles) through the lens of ember intrusion, debris accumulation, and roof-to-wall transitions. The session connects code-driven requirements from California WUI provisions and International Wildland-Urban Interface Code concepts to practical means and methods, including valley and edge treatments, noncombustible gutters with debris mitigation, ember-resistant venting strategies (including ASTM E2886-listed vents), eave and soffit protection, and retrofit triggers during reroofing. We’ll close with a plan review and field inspection checklist and share a maintenance playbook to keep roofs performing long after construction.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify dominant wildfire exposure mechanisms affecting steep-slope roofs (e.g., embers, radiant heat, flame contact) and roof details most vulnerable to ignition.
- Select Class A roof assemblies and detailing strategies that reduce ember intrusion and debris ignition at valleys, edges, and roof-to-wall transitions.
- Evaluate venting strategies (e.g., mesh limits vs. ASTM E2886-listed ember-resistant vents) and place vents to reduce ember and flame entry while maintaining moisture-control objectives.
- Apply a plan-review and field QC checklist for both new construction and reroofing and retrofit projects, including common upgrade triggers during partial roof replacement.
Participants will earn 1 AIA CES Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for attending the webinar. Registration is free. Please note that space is limited – email events@sgh.com to join our waitlist if the session is closed when you register.
About the Speaker
Nate Wittasek has extensive experience working in the fire protection and regulatory arenas. He brings a practical approach to the fire protection engineering field that reflects his diverse training and experiences in academia, codes consulting for both new and existing facilities, performance-based fire protection engineering, sustainable design, wildland interface fire protection, and the fire service. His experience includes failure analysis, fire engineering, systems design, and building codes consulting for commercial and infrastructure projects in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Nate specializes in fire life safety systems and approaches that are used in assembly venues, tall buildings, cultural heritage facilities, and historic structures.
Sam Zabb-Parmley specializes in assessing, treating, and restoring existing buildings with distress related to the building enclosure and waterproofing materials. He also consults on new design building enclosures, including roofing, plaza decks and podiums, terraces and balconies, opaque exterior walls, glazing assemblies, and below-grade systems.
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