The Austin Fire Department designates WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) zones concentrated in West Austin hills west of MoPac and south of the Colorado River. Homes in these zones face stricter building codes, vegetation management, and inspection requirements under Chapter 6-1.
Austin's WUI map (maintained by AFD Wildfire Division with Texas A&M Forest Service) divides the city into Non-WUI, WUI Interface, and WUI Intermix. Intermix zones (Westlake, Barton Creek, West Rim, Jester, Lakewood, River Place, Steiner Ranch portions in city limits) have homes interspersed with heavy cedar-juniper and live oak fuel, making them highest risk. New construction and major remodels in WUI require Class A roofing (concrete, clay, metal, or Class A composite), ember-resistant vents (1/8-inch mesh or baffled), non-combustible siding within 6 feet of grade, and enclosed eaves. Existing homes face retroactive defensible space rules but not structural retrofit mandates. AFD Wildfire Division performs free Ready, Set, Go! assessments. The city also coordinates with Travis County Emergency Services Districts for rural WUI. Insurers are increasingly using ZIP-level wildfire risk scores — some western Austin neighborhoods have seen rate hikes and non-renewals, pushing homeowners toward the Texas FAIR Plan for dwelling coverage. Red-flag warnings from NWS automatically activate city burn bans.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Austin code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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See how Austin's wildfire zones rules stack up against other locations.
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