Cedar Shake Roofs and BC Fire Rules: What You Can Actually Install

If you have a cedar shake roof in the Lower Mainland and you are coming up on replacement, there is a question worth asking before you start collecting quotes: are you still allowed to put cedar back on?

The answer is usually yes, but not always, and the direction of travel is one way. Here is how roof fire ratings work in BC, why they have been tightening, and what it means for your next roof.

The three fire classes

Roofing assemblies are rated Class A, B or C based on how they perform when exposed to fire from outside the building — the wildfire and flying-ember scenario, not a fire starting inside the house.

• Class A — the highest resistance. Includes metal, slate, clay and concrete tile, asphalt shingle, and composite tiles rated to Class A in the specified assembly.
• Class B — moderate. Pressure-treated wood shakes typically land here.
• Class C or unrated — the lowest. Untreated cedar shakes and shingles sit here.

The rating applies to the assembly, not just the visible material. Underlayment and the deck beneath it are part of what gets tested, which is why a product can be described as "Class A available" rather than simply Class A — it depends on what is installed under it.

Why this has been tightening in BC

Wildfire is the driver. The Union of BC Municipalities has asked the Province to amend the BC Building Code to restrict untreated wood shake roofing specifically to reduce wildfire risk to life and property.

The evidence behind that is not marginal. Studies of homes exposed to wildfire have found that houses with untreated wood roofs were destroyed at several times the rate of houses with fire-resistant roofing — one range widely cited puts it at two to twenty-one times more likely, depending on conditions.

There is no blanket provincial ban on cedar roofs. What has happened instead is municipal: individual local governments have introduced their own requirements, some prohibiting new untreated wood roofs outright in higher-risk areas, others requiring Class A or B assemblies in a way that rules untreated cedar out in practice.

What this means for your roof

Three practical consequences, in the order they tend to bite:

1. Your permit may not allow like-for-like. If your municipality has adopted a fire-rating requirement since your roof went on, replacing cedar with cedar may not be permitted, even though the existing roof is cedar. Existing roofs are generally grandfathered; replacements are not.
2. Your insurer may take a view. Wood roofs have become harder to insure in some areas, and premiums can reflect the rating. This is worth a phone call before you choose a material, not after.
3. Resale. A buyer's inspector will note a wood roof and its condition, and a buyer's insurer may price it. That is a real cost even if nobody bans anything.

How to check what applies to you

The requirement is set by your municipality, so the answer differs between Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam and everywhere else. To find out where you stand:

• Call your municipal building department and ask directly what roof fire rating is required for a re-roof at your address. This is a short call and they answer it regularly.
• Ask whether your property sits in a designated wildfire interface or hazard area, which is often what triggers the stricter requirement.
• Ask your insurer what they require, and what a change of material would do to your premium.

Any competent roofer should be pulling this information as part of quoting your job. If a contractor quotes you a cedar replacement without mentioning fire rating at all, that is worth noticing.

If you cannot install cedar, what are the options?

You have more choice than you might expect, and the cedar look is still available.

• Composite shake. Moulded from real cedar shakes, so it reads as wood from the ground, and Class A assemblies are available. This is the usual answer for homeowners who chose cedar for how it looks. We install Brava composite shake and are a Brava Preferred Contractor.
• Treated wood shakes. Reach Class B. An option where Class B is sufficient, though the treatment is not permanent and the maintenance obligation remains.
• Architectural asphalt. Class A, far cheaper, and a good architectural shingle on a well-detailed roof looks better than people expect.
• Standing seam metal. Class A, very long service life, and increasingly common on contemporary Lower Mainland homes.

A note on what we can and cannot tell you

We can tell you what assemblies achieve what ratings, and we can build to whatever your municipality requires. We cannot tell you what your particular municipality requires at your address, because that is theirs to state and it changes. Anyone who tells you confidently what your bylaw says without checking it is guessing.

What we will do is confirm the requirement before quoting, specify an assembly that meets it, and put the specification in writing in your quote so you are not relying on a verbal assurance.

Common questions

Are cedar shake roofs banned in British Columbia?

There is no blanket provincial ban. Restrictions are municipal: some BC local governments prohibit new untreated wood shake roofs in higher wildfire-risk areas, and others require Class A or B rated assemblies in a way that rules untreated cedar out in practice. The Union of BC Municipalities has asked the Province to amend the BC Building Code to restrict untreated wood shake roofing. Requirements differ by municipality and by address, so check with your local building department.

What fire rating does cedar shake have?

Untreated cedar shakes and shingles carry a Class C rating or are unrated, the lowest fire resistance of common roofing materials. Pressure-treated wood shakes typically achieve Class B. Class A, the highest rating, includes metal, slate, clay and concrete tile, asphalt shingle, and composite tiles rated to Class A in the specified assembly.

Can I replace my cedar roof with cedar?

Often yes, but not everywhere. Existing roofs are generally grandfathered while replacements are held to current requirements, so a municipality that has adopted a fire-rating rule since your roof was installed may not permit like-for-like replacement. Confirm with your municipal building department before choosing a material.

What can I install if I want the cedar look but need a Class A roof?

Composite shake is the usual answer. It is moulded from real hand-split cedar so it reads as wood from ground level, and Class A assemblies are available depending on what is specified beneath it. Treated wood shakes are an alternative where Class B is sufficient.

Does a wood roof affect home insurance in BC?

It can. Wood roofs have become harder to insure in some areas and the fire rating may be reflected in the premium. It is worth asking your insurer what they require and what changing material would do to your rate before you commit to a material.