ROCKWOOL has released an essential technical resource for builders, architects, and engineers working in wildfire-prone regions. The Technical Bulletin, “Building with ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation in Wildfire-Prone Areas,” provides guidance on construction methods that enhance the resilience of structures against wildfires.
Wildfires are an escalating problem in North America. In 2023, Canada faced its most catastrophic wildfire season on record, with over 37 million acres burned—more than six times the typical annual average. The United States has also experienced a surge in record-breaking fires in recent years, including California’s Eaton and Palisades Fires in 2025 and the Panhandle Wildfires in Texas in 2024.
The document includes:
· A detailed comparison of U.S. and Canadian WUI code approaches
· A comprehensive building code matrix outlining requirements for critical building components
· Fire-resistance rated exterior wall assemblies featuring ROCKWOOL products
· Detailed architectural drawings for various construction scenarios
· Climate-specific roof assembly recommendations
“As communities expand into forested regions and climate change extends fire seasons, the need for fire-resistant construction has never been more critical,” said Antoine Habellion, Technical Director at ROCKWOOL. “Our noncombustible stone wool insulation products are ideally suited for these applications.”
The bulletin emphasizes that properly implemented WUI building standards significantly improve structure survival rates during wildfires. In the 2018 California Camp Fire, for example, 59.4% of buildings constructed to the 2008 California Building Code survived, compared to only 21% of structures built before the code implementation. The technical bulletin (Version 1.2) is available here. Additional WUI resources and information can be found on ROCKWOOL’s dedicated wildfire page. ROCKWOOL recommends regularly checking rockwool.com/buildingscience to ensure users have the most up to date documentation.
About ROCKWOOL:
With five manufacturing facilities and more than 1,200 employees, ROCKWOOL is North America’s largest stone wool producer, offering advanced building insulation, industrial and technical solutions.
At the ROCKWOOL Group, we are committed to enriching the lives of everyone who comes into contact with our solutions. Our expertise is perfectly suited to tackle many of today’s biggest sustainability and development challenges, from energy consumption and noise pollution to fire resilience, water scarcity and flooding. Our range of products reflects the diversity of the world’s needs, supporting our stakeholders in reducing their own carbon footprint along the way.
Stone wool is a versatile material and forms the basis of all our businesses. With approx. 10,500 passionate colleagues in 38 countries, we are the world leader in stone wool solutions, from building insulation to acoustic ceilings, external cladding systems to horticultural solutions, engineered fibres for industrial use to insulation for the process industry and marine & offshore. For more information, visit: www.rockwool.com
