To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Ordinance No. 2025-15, adopting the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, with local amendments
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS
Acting in its capacity as the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and as the Board of Directors of the Crockett-Carquinez Fire Protection District and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District:
1. INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 2025-15, adopting the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, with local amendments, as the Wildland-Urban Interface code within Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, and the Crockett-Carquinez Fire Protection District; WAIVE reading; and FIX November 4, 2025 at the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting at 9:00 a.m. as the hearing date for the proposed adoption of the ordinance.
2. DIRECT the Clerk of the Board to publish notice of the hearing pursuant to Government Code section 6066.
3. AUTHORIZE the preparation of an ordinance summary by County Counsel and the publication of the summary in accordance with Government Code section 25124.
4. DIRECT the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to post at its office, and each Fire District to post at its office, a copy of the full text of Ordinance No. 2025-15.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The California Building Standards Commission has adopted and published the 2025 Building Standards Code, which includes the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code prepared and adopted by the State Fire Marshal. The statewide code becomes effective January 1, 2026.
Although the code applies statewide, Health and Safety Code sections 13869.7, 17958.5, and 18941.5 authorize a local jurisdiction to modify or change the statewide code and establish more restrictive standards if the jurisdiction finds that the modifications and changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. Ordinance No. 2025-15 adopts the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code and amends it to address local conditions.
The attached ordinance amends the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code by adoption of the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code <https://codes.iccsafe.org/lookup/IWUIC2024P1/4311> of the International Code Council (ICC) with necessary California amendments including Chapters 1 - 7 and Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix F, Appendix G, and Appendix H as amended by the changes, additions, and deletions set forth in this ordinance.
Notice of the public hearing will be published in accordance with Government Code section 6066. A summary of the ordinance will be prepared and published in accordance with Government Code section 25124(b).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact is neutral. The adoption of this ordinance will provide the administrative authority to enforce the provisions of the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code as amended.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Without the adoption of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (CWUI) with local amendments, would increase the risk of wildfire spread into neighborhoods, heighten the potential for loss of life and property, and slow community recovery following major fire events. It could also result in higher property damage and insurance costs, reduced eligibility for state and federal wildfire mitigation funding, potential legal exposure for not meeting state safety standards, and erosion of public confidence in the County’s commitment to fire and life safety.
Attachments: Ordinance No. 2025-15
Findings in support of Ordinance No. 2025-15