Washington Gov looks to bend some building codes to speed up rebuilds
Under pressure from Gov. Bob Ferguson, the Washington State Building Code Council is weighing building code flexibility to accelerate recovery for homeowners who lost nearly 700 residences to recent wildfires in the state.
Ferguson issued an emergency proclamation in August requesting that those affected rebuild under less restrictive energy codes.
In an open letter to the building council, Ferguson emphasized that the relief is targeted to existing homeowners rather than a permanent rollback.
“In the aftermath of these disasters, homeowners should not face unnecessary barriers or costs that make it harder to return to the communities they call home,” wrote Ferguson. “For that reason, I strongly urge the Washington State Building Code Council to use its existing emergency rulemaking authority to provide targeted flexibility with the residential energy code for homeowners rebuilding properties destroyed by the 2026 wildfires.”
While building code council members expressed concerns over statutory limits and setting precedents.
To balance environmental goals with urgent disaster relief, the council is exploring the possibility of streamlining permitting for fire victims. The council aims for a decision by late October.
