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January 25, 2018 <br />Dan Carlson, Kittitas County Community Development Director <br />411 N Ruby St <br />Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br />The Kittitas County Fire Chief s Association has discussed the practice of allowing the use of <br />intumescent paints and stains as alternatives to fire resistive products such as cement board <br />siding (Hardieplank), stucco, brick, brick veneer, stone, stone veneer, steel, aluminum and <br />corrugated metal. We collectively ask that this practice be discontinued for public safety <br />reasons. <br />Section 104.9 of the 2015 International Fire Code permits alternative materials and methods <br />provided, "the material, method or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the <br />equivalent of that prescribed in this code in quality, strength, effectiveness, rrre resistance, <br />durability and safety." Intumescent finishes are not equivalent to inherently fire resistant <br />products: <br />Fire resistant siding retains its fire resistive rating for the life of the siding. Intumescent <br />products lose their fire resistive properties between 2 to 5 years due to degradation from <br />ultraviolet radiation, precipitation, pollution and temperature variations. <br />Verification of the installation of inherently fire resistive products is easy to verify. <br />Intumescent finishes look like their non -fire resistive counterparts making verification <br />nearly impossible. <br />Once a certificate of occupancy is issued, there are no follow up inspections. Re- <br />application of the correct product, to manufacturer's specifications and on a time <br />schedule that matches the UV damage timeline (which would be different for every <br />structure) is necessary to meet the original intent of the code. <br />Intumescent finishes should not be permitted as an equivalent material for inherently fire <br />resistive products and this exemption should be removed from the Kittitas County amendments <br />to the Wildland Urban Interface Code. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. <br />This letter conveys a unanimous request from all members. Additionally, the following agencies <br />are specifically asking for intumescent finishes to be removed as alternative to non-combustible <br />siding in their respective fire response jurisdictions: 101 z <br />KCFQ I — Braf don Schmidt <br />�Sfeve Jensen' KCFp 3 <br />Tim Milbert — KCFD 6 <br />Sinclao' — KVFR <br />J y Wiseman — KCFD 7/KCFD 51 <br />William Rose — KCFD 4 <br />CC - Mike Flory — Kittitas County Community Development <br />Laura Osiadacz — Kittitas County Commissioner <br />Obie O'Brien — Kittitas County Commissioner <br />Paul Jewell — Kittitas County Commissioner <br />