California has adopted model building and fire codes of the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association to protect public safety in the nation’s most populous state. The California Building Standards Commission voted to adopt NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code and NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code. As a result of the Commission’s action, the NFPA codes will provide the basis for the 2004 California Building Code and the 2004 California Fire Code.

The California state fire marshal recommended the adoption of NFPA 5000 and NFPA 1, UFC after determining that NFPA codes would provide California with “higher levels of safety” than would building and fire codes developed by the International Code Council. The state fire marshal’s office had conducted a detailed and extensive review of the building and fire codes developed by NFPA and ICC. That review pointed to specific code provisions and NFPA’s consensus-based code development process as key reasons that California should use NFPA’s model codes.

The fire marshal’s report indicated that NFPA’s process for developing the building and fire codes, “Has led to the promulgation of codes that our technical review has found to be superior with respect to the protection of public safety.” The codes are also supported by the California Fire Chiefs Association, and the California Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, along with numerous other groups.