Key numbers
NAHB's 2007 study puts asphalt shingle roof life at about 20 years, fiber cement shingles about 25 years and wood shakes about 30 years (National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007).
| 5.19 million | Wood shingles or shakes were the main roofing material on 5.19 million U.S. homes in 2020. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2020 |
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Yes. Wood shakes and shingles are combustible, and in a wildfire the main threat to a house is often wind-blown embers landing on the roof and in gutters, where dry wood can ignite. That is why the rules have tightened: in the City of Colorado Springs, every one- and two-family home must have a Class A roof covering that excludes solid wood products, and the state’s Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code now requires Class A roofs in mapped wildfire areas when a quarter or more of a roof is replaced. If you have a wood roof, plan its replacement with a Class A material that keeps the look you like.
Why wood roofs and wildfire do not mix
- Embers. A wildfire throws burning embers onto roofs. A dry shake roof with gaps, cracks and curled edges gives them fuel and places to lodge.
- Wood ages badly. Shakes split, curl and dry out over the years, which leaves more exposed edges to catch.
- Debris builds up. Needles and leaves collect on rough wood and in valleys, adding fuel right where embers land.
- Treatment wears off. Some wood products are fire-retardant treated, but solid wood is still excluded from the Colorado Springs requirement.
What the rules say now
City of Colorado Springs (PPRBD). The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department’s reroof guidelines state that all one- and two-family dwellings in the City of Colorado Springs must have a minimum roof covering of Class A, excluding solid wood roofing products, and that accessory structures need at least Class B. Our Colorado Springs cedar roofing page covers synthetic cedar in detail.
Colorado Springs Fire Department. The city updated its fire code wildland-urban interface appendix (Appendix K, City Ordinance 26-18), effective June 30, 2026. Check whether your address is in the Colorado Springs WUI with the city’s Wildfire Risk Map, or call the CSFD Construction Services Unit at 719-385-5982, option 2.
Statewide: Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code. The Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s code requires Class A roof coverings in mapped wildland-urban interface areas. Under Section 101.6, a roof on an existing building that is replaced, or has 25 percent or more of its surface area replaced, must meet the new-construction roof requirements. Jurisdictions were required to adopt the code by April 1, 2026 and begin enforcing it by July 1, 2026, and they may adopt stricter rules. Denver-area cities adopted it on their own dates; see our Denver cedar roofing page. Our Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code guide covers the triggers and exemptions in more detail.
Class A options that keep the shake look
| Option | Look | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stone-coated steel shake | Close to heavy shake | Steel panels with a stone granule finish; confirm the Class A listing; see steel roofing |
| Synthetic (composite) shake | Very close to cedar | Check that the exact product is Class A as installed |
| Luxury and designer asphalt shingles | Thick, shake-like shadow lines | Usually the most affordable path; Owens Corning shingles carry a Class A fire rating |
| Standing seam metal | Clean modern lines | Metal panels; read is a metal roof worth it here? |
What changes when wood comes off
Replacing a wood roof is not only a material swap. Many wood roofs sit on spaced boards that must be re-decked or overlaid before shingles go on, wall flashing usually changes, and the attic often needs new ventilation because shakes breathe and shingles do not. We cover those details in what to expect replacing wood shingles with asphalt and why switching from cedar shake requires roof vents.
Harden the rest of the house too
A Class A roof works best with the details around it: metal gutter guards or regular cleaning, ember-resistant vents, noncombustible material along the base of walls, and clearing needles from valleys and roof-to-wall corners every fall. Ask the fire department about a wildfire mitigation assessment for your property. We explain each piece in our guides to Class A roof assemblies, ember-resistant vents and gutters and debris, and the wildfire home hardening guide puts them in order.
Get a quote for replacing your wood roof
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We pull the PPRBD permit and show you shake-look options side by side, including Owens Corning shingles. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection. If your roof was damaged in a fire, call us; we reach out the same business day.
Sources: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); City of Colorado Springs Fire Department, Wildfire Risk Reduction Requirements Within the WUI; Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code; City of Centennial, 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (25 percent roof replacement trigger).
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