Fire-Safety Rules a Local Issue

More than half of California’s cities and counties have adopted fire-safety standards more stringent than the state fire code. The stricter protections include residential fire sprinklers and fire-retardant roofing. The requirements are tailored to specific local needs, but a recent opinion by the state attorney general has curtailed that local authority.

A bill, SB 1830, sponsored by state Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk) would restore the authority of local governments to adopt fire standards and building codes more stringent than state requirements. The measure, scheduled for consideration Tuesday before the Senate Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, merits approval.

Fire protection is a local responsibility. Rural and urban regions have vastly different needs. A desert community plagued by Santa Ana winds may mandate fire-resistant roofs. A big city plagued by crime may require safety releases on security bars on bedroom windows. Another may require clear address identification of buildings to facilitate emergency service response.

Public safety concerns have prompted the League of California Cities and the California Fire Chiefs Assn. to support the bill. But some builders fear that it would allow cities and counties to impose broader residential sprinkler requirements for high-rise buildings. The bill specifically delegates that determination to a state task force.

California’s geographic and climatic diversity demands a range of fire precautions. Cities, counties and fire districts need the authority to tailor strong protections to local needs. The Legislature should approve this bill which could save both lives and property.