The 2025 fire season was the worst in NAZ history. The Pipeline Fire
(Coconino) and Tunnel Fire (Yavapai) destroyed 81 homes between them.
Both counties responded with WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) code
updates effective 2026.
Here's what the new requirements mean for your roof.
The three WUI zones
Both counties now classify all parcels into three zones:
Zone 1 — High Hazard
- Direct adjacency to wildland or forest
- Within 300 ft of unmaintained vegetation
- Slopes > 30 %
Zone 2 — Moderate Hazard
- Within 1 mile of high hazard
- Forested neighborhoods (Munds Park, Mountainaire, Forest Highlands)
Zone 3 — Standard
- Inner urban lots, well-maintained
- Most of central Flagstaff and Prescott
Look up your zone at:
- Coconino: https://coconino.az.gov/wui-map
- Yavapai: https://yavapai.us/wui-map
What's required by zone
Zone 1 (high hazard)
- Class A fire-rated roof assembly (mandatory)
- Class A includes: tile, metal, fiber-cement shingles, asphalt
shingle with rated underlayment
- Vents must be ember-resistant (1/8" mesh max, fire-rated)
- Soffit must be enclosed with non-combustible material
- Defensible space: 30 ft cleared, 100 ft thinned
Zone 2 (moderate hazard)
- Class B minimum (Class A recommended)
- Ember-resistant vents required
- Soffit not strictly required to be non-combustible
- Defensible space: 30 ft cleared, 100 ft thinned
Zone 3 (standard)
- Class C minimum
- Standard vents allowed
- No special defensible space requirements
What banned in WUI zones
- Wood shake — banned in all WUI zones since 2020, fully removed
from 2026 code
- Untreated wood roofing — banned in Zone 1 and Zone 2
- Plastic ridge vents without ember screen
- Non-rated underlayment in Class A assemblies
Class A assembly options for NAZ
For Zone 1 reroofs:
| Assembly | Cost premium |
|---|---|
| Standard concrete tile + Class A underlayment | None (already Class A) |
| Clay tile + Class A underlayment | None (already Class A) |
| Standing-seam metal + 5/8" sheathing | +$0.40/sf |
| Class A asphalt shingle (specific products) | +$0.20/sf |
| Stone-coated steel | +$0.25/sf |
Asphalt shingle Class A status depends on the assembly, not
just the shingle. Class A requires the shingle + a fire-rated
underlayment + sheathing of specified thickness. Get the assembly
spec sheet from your contractor.
Ember-resistant vents
The new code defines ember-resistant vents as:
- 1/8-inch mesh maximum opening size
- Fire-rated to ASTM E2886
- Stainless or galvanized steel mesh (not aluminum, not plastic)
- Listed product from a fire-rated manufacturer
Cost: $35–$120 per vent depending on size. A typical NAZ home has
8–14 vent openings. Budget $400–$1,200 for ember vent retrofit.
Insurance and WUI
Several major AZ carriers now require WUI compliance for renewal in
Zone 1 and 2 areas:
- State Farm: WUI compliance required for renewal in Zone 1 (2026)
- Allstate: WUI compliance for renewal in Zone 1 + 2 (2027)
- Farmers: Premium discounts for Class A + ember vents
- USAA: Premium discounts, no requirement yet
- Liberty Mutual: Required for new policies in Zone 1 (2026)
Failing to bring your roof up to WUI compliance may result in
non-renewal at policy expiration. This isn't theoretical — Pipeline
Fire-area homeowners reported 14 % non-renewal rate in 2025.
Defensible space — not just the roof
A Class A roof doesn't help if your fence touches your house and
catches embers. The new code formalizes:
| Zone | Action |
|---|---|
| 0–5 ft | Non-combustible only (rock, gravel, concrete) — no wood mulch, no plants |
| 5–30 ft | Lean, clean, green — irrigated lawn, low shrubs, no dead material |
| 30–100 ft | Thin trees to 10 ft+ between crowns, prune lower branches |
Most homes that survived the 2025 fires had clean Zone 0 (the 5-ft
"no-fuel" zone). Most that didn't, had wood mulch or shrubs against
the foundation.
What to do this year
- Look up your WUI zone
- Confirm your current roof's Class rating (Class A, B, or C)
- If you're Zone 1 with Class B or C: budget for Class A upgrade at
next reroof
- Install ember-resistant vents now ($400–$1,200 retrofit)
- Clear Zone 0 (5-ft perimeter) to non-combustible immediately
- Update your insurance — call your carrier and confirm policy
won't be non-renewed
Match with a NAZ contractor who specializes in WUI compliance via
the wizard.