Bend Considers Wildfire-Resistant Building Standards Cost vs Safety

Today, April 1, 2026, Bend City Council meets to consider adopting wildfire-resistant building standards that Deschutes County and the City of Sisters have already put into effect. The standards, based on Oregon Residential Specialty Code Section R327, would require new construction within the city limits to use fire-resistant materials for decking, siding, windows, and roofing. The Central Oregon Builders Association has estimated the cost impact at approximately 3%. The question before the council is whether that cost is justified by the protection it provides.

What Is Already in Effect Elsewhere

Deschutes County and Sisters adopted R327 standards effective April 1, 2026 for new construction. As of today, any new home permitted in unincorporated Deschutes County or within Sisters city limits must comply with the wildfire-resistant requirements. Bend, as a separate jurisdiction within Deschutes County, has the option to adopt the same standards but is not required to do so.

The current situation creates an inconsistency: a home built just outside Bend city limits in the county must meet R327 standards, while a home built just inside city limits does not. Both homes face the same wildfire risk. The only difference is which jurisdiction's building code applies.

The Requirements Under R327

For those unfamiliar with the specific requirements:

• Non-combustible deck materials within 10 feet of the structure
• Tempered glass windows that resist heat better than standard glass
• Ignition-resistant exterior walls (fiber cement, stucco, masonry)
• Gutter protection to prevent ember accumulation
• Fire-resistant roofing (Class A rated, which most modern roofing already meets)

These requirements target the mechanisms by which wildfires actually ignite homes. Research conducted over decades of wildfire study consistently shows that flying embers, not direct flame contact, cause approximately 90% of home ignitions during wildfire events. Embers can travel more than a mile ahead of a fire front, meaning a home can ignite well before the fire reaches its neighborhood.

The Cost Argument

The Central Oregon Builders Association's estimate of a 3% cost increase is the most commonly cited figure in this debate. On a home with total construction costs of $500,000, that's approximately $15,000. On a $750,000 home, about $22,500.

These are real costs, and they come on top of construction costs that have already doubled since 2019. For builders and buyers operating at the margins of affordability, every additional cost matters. COBA's concern that additional mandates make housing less affordable is legitimate and deserves honest engagement.

The counterargument, equally legitimate, is that the 3% increase buys something tangible: a home that is substantially less likely to ignite during a wildfire. The return on that investment isn't theoretical; it's measured in avoided losses.

The Safety Argument

Central Oregon's wildfire risk is not speculative. Consider the recent evidence:

The June 2025 Flat Fire burned 3,300 acres in Central Oregon and destroyed 4 homes. While the loss count was relatively low, the fire demonstrated that wildfires can and do reach structures in our region.

The August 2024 Mile Marker 132 Fire burned 78 acres after igniting from a cooking fire at an encampment, showing how quickly fire can spread in Central Oregon's dry conditions.

Climate trends point toward longer fire seasons, drier conditions, and more frequent fire weather. The risk is not decreasing. Building homes that can survive ember exposure is an investment in long-term resilience.

The science is unambiguous on one point: homes built with ignition-resistant materials survive at dramatically higher rates than homes built with combustible materials in the same fire events. Studies of major wildfires in California, Colorado, and Oregon consistently show this pattern. R327 requirements are based on this evidence.

The Insurance Angle

An increasingly relevant factor in the cost-versus-safety analysis is insurance. Insurance companies are repricing wildfire risk aggressively across the Western United States. Some carriers have withdrawn from fire-prone markets entirely. Others have dramatically increased premiums. Homes built to fire-resistant standards may have better access to insurance and potentially lower premiums over the life of the structure.

This economic argument may ultimately be more persuasive than the safety argument for some homeowners and builders. If fire-resistant construction helps maintain insurability, the 3% upfront cost could be recouped through lower insurance premiums over time.

What Bend Builders Are Saying

The building community is not monolithic on this issue. Some builders have already adopted fire-resistant construction practices voluntarily, recognizing that buyers increasingly value fire safety. Others express concern about the cumulative regulatory burden and its effect on housing production and affordability.

The practical reality is that many of the R327 materials are already commonly used in Bend construction. Composite decking has gained significant market share over wood. Fiber cement siding is widely available and competitively priced. Tempered glass is standard in many applications. The incremental cost of meeting R327 is real but represents an extension of trends already underway, not a radical departure from current practice.

Our Take

This is one of those decisions where reasonable people can weigh the trade-offs differently. Here is our honest assessment:

The 3% cost increase is worth it. Central Oregon's fire risk is real and growing. The materials required by R327 are proven, available, and increasingly standard practice. The cost buys genuine protection against a genuine threat. And the insurance implications of building to higher fire-resistance standards will likely become more financially significant over time as the insurance market continues to reprice wildfire risk.

That said, the affordability concern is also real. If the council adopts R327, pairing it with measures that offset the cost for affordable housing, SDC reductions, fee waivers, or other tools, would demonstrate that fire safety and housing affordability are not mutually exclusive goals.

What Buyers and Builders Should Do Now

Regardless of how today's vote goes, if you're planning to build in Central Oregon, incorporating fire-resistant materials makes practical sense. If Bend adopts R327, it's required. If Bend doesn't adopt it, it's still a smart investment in your home's long-term value, insurability, and safety.

For buyers evaluating existing homes, ask about the construction materials and fire-resistance features. Homes built with ignition-resistant materials in wildfire-prone areas have a tangible advantage that will become increasingly important as fire seasons intensify.

For the latest on building codes, construction costs, and other factors affecting Central Oregon real estate, follow our housing market coverage. Our team is always available to discuss how these developments affect your specific plans.