Ottawa, Canada – Today, UL Standards & Engagement announced that it has been selected by the Standards Council of Canada to create a portfolio of wildfire-related safety standards to equip communities with resources to mitigate the risks of wildfires. The announcement comes during peak wildfire season in Canada and on the heels of the country’s intense 2023 and 2024 fire years.
“Wildfires are a growing global risk, and Canada has experienced exceptionally destructive fires in recent years that caused unfathomable damage and took the lives of firefighters and citizens,” said Jeff Marootian, president and CEO of UL Standards & Engagement. “ULSE has a long legacy of fire safety and we want to be part of a safer future as we confront the growing threat of wildfires.”
Over the next three years, ULSE will create three standards that support community risk assessment, preparation, and guidance on the following:
- Community Planning, Resources, and Outreach in Wildland Urban Interface Areas: This standard will examine community risks in the face of WUI fire events and serve as a resource to municipalities, landowners and land use planners, land management agencies, and community officials.
- Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Risk Mitigation in the Structure Ignition Zone: A resource for engineers, architects, and infrastructure practitioners, this standard will assess WUI fire ignition hazards and exposures and issue recommendations for new construction to reduce the potential risks of wildfires.
- Supplementary Wildland Urban Interface Standards Guidebook: The guidebook will offer developers, builders, and suppliers support in the implementation of standards into their construction activities.
“The devastation in recent years has created this critical moment to take action to confront the growing risk of wildfires in our country,” said Chantal Guay, CEO at the Standards Council of Canada. “UL Standards & Engagement is a leader in standards development with a long legacy in fire prevention and we are proud to partner with them on this important effort.”
The guidance standards will be developed through ULSE’s consensus process that brings together experts across sectors and disciplines to serve on its technical committees and ensure diverse perspectives inform a holistic view. ULSE is currently recruiting stakeholders to its technical committees for the wildfire standards.
“Wildfires are not confined by borders. It is our hope that these standards will have value beyond Canada and offer critical takeaways that will help mitigate or prevent future devastation,” said Marootian.
Applicants interested in joining a technical committee for these standards should reach out to Diane Haithcock, director of standards programs.
About UL Standards & Engagement
UL Standards & Engagement is a nonprofit organization that translates safety science into action through standards development, partnerships, and advocacy. Since 1903, we have developed nearly 1,700 standards and guidance documents for products ranging from fire doors to autonomous vehicles. ULSE enables innovation and grows trust by convening experts and informing policymakers and regulators as we work toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Visit ULSE.org for more information.