Wildfire Risk Area: Building Code Definition

Direct answer

Wildfire risk area is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Land that is covered with grass, grain, brush or forest, whether privately or publicly owned, which is so situated or is of such inaccessible location that a fire originating upon it would present an abnormally difficultjob of suppression or would result in great or unusual damage through fire or such areas designated by the fire …” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 3 chapters of this corpus, most often in General Requirements (IFC 2009), Scope and Administration (IFC 2009), Definitions (IFC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.

What does this term mean?

Wildfire Risk Area — IFC 2009, Definitions:

Land that is covered with grass, grain, brush or forest, whether privately or publicly owned, which is so situated or is of such inaccessible location that a fire originating upon it would present an abnormally difficultjob of suppression or would result in great or unusual damage through fire or such areas designated by the fire code official.

What must be verified before using this guidance?

Wildfire Risk Area is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:

Land that is covered with grass, grain, brush or forest, whether privately or publicly owned, which is so situated or is of such inaccessible location that a fire originating upon it would present an abnormally difficultjob of suppression or would result in great or unusual damage through fire or such areas designated by the fire code official.

Where wildfire risk area is used in the code

The term appears in 3 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.

The term in use

How the code actually writes about wildfire risk area, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:

or to use a torch or open-flame device in a wildfire risk area.

— IFC 2009 §105.6.31

The terms wildfire risk area is built out of

The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what wildfire risk area covers:

• Fire Code Official — IFC 2009: The fire chief or other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of the code, or a duly authorized representative.
• Code Official — IRC 2009: The officer or other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of this code, or a duly authorized representative.

Wildfire Risk Area: what to open, and in what order

Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.

A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.

Where can you explore related guidance?

• Explore all glossary guidance
• Fire Code Official: Building Code Definition
• Code Official: Building Code Definition

Sources and method

Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.

Source links

• codes.iccsafe.org

• iccsafe.org