Prince Edward Island · Wildfire guide

Fire-resistant roofing on Prince Edward Island

A Class A fire-rated roof assembly gives a house, cottage or rural home the best protection from embers, and a covering that does not burn adds no fuel. This guide covers what the ratings mean, how the common roofing materials compare, what the 2023 Nova Scotia wildfires showed, and the FireSmart steps that matter most, from Maritime Metal Roofing Ltd., the certified Interlock® roofing contractor for the Maritimes since 2007.

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Fire rating

Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly

Two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 12 mm plywood, per ASTM E108.

The metal

Aluminum does not ignite

Embers that land on the roof have nothing to burn.

Embers

Can travel two kilometres

FireSmart Begins at Home manual. The roof is the biggest target on the house.

Why it matters in the Maritimes

Wildfire reached Maritime homes in 2023: the Upper Tantallon / Hammonds Plains fire on the edge of Halifax and the Barrington Lake fire in Shelburne County together destroyed more than 200 homes, according to the Province of Nova Scotia. Barrington Lake was the largest wildfire in the province's recorded history. Across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, many homes, cottages and subdivisions sit right against the woods.

The 2023 Nova Scotia wildfires: what burned and what it cost
Year	Fire	Loss	What happened
2023	Upper Tantallon / Hammonds Plains (Halifax Regional Municipality)	969 ha; 151 homes destroyed	Started May 28, 2023, in subdivisions on the edge of Halifax. More than 16,000 people were evacuated, and Insurance Bureau of Canada put insured damage at $165 million.
2023	Barrington Lake (Shelburne County)	23,379 ha burned	The largest wildfire in Nova Scotia's recorded history, according to the Province of Nova Scotia.
2023	Nova Scotia, province-wide	220 wildfires, about 25,000 ha	Together, the Barrington Lake and Upper Tantallon / Hammonds Plains fires destroyed more than 200 homes, according to the Province of Nova Scotia.

Sources: Province of Nova Scotia (hectares, number of fires, homes destroyed by the two fires combined); Insurance Bureau of Canada (Upper Tantallon homes, evacuations and insured damage); Halifax Regional Municipality. Full list at the end of this page.

Rural homes, cottages and the edge of town

A house in the trees has the same weak points as any house in a wildfire: the roof, the gutters, the vents and the deck. The 2023 Upper Tantallon fire showed that this isn't only a rural problem; it burned through subdivisions within Halifax Regional Municipality. On a rural property or at a cottage there may also be fewer people around to notice a spot fire, and a longer wait for help.

FireSmart's advice is the same for a suburban lot and a rural acreage: start at the roof, work down the outside walls, then move out through the three zones around the building. To report a wildfire in Nova Scotia, call 1-800-565-2224. In New Brunswick, call 911 or the Department of Natural Resources. In Prince Edward Island, call 911. If people or buildings are in danger, call 911.

How a house catches fire in a wildfire

Many houses lost to wildfire are never touched by a wall of flame. They catch from embers: burning bark, needles and debris carried by the wind, which can travel two kilometres according to the FireSmart Begins at Home manual.

Embers settle where debris collects: in gutters and roof valleys, against vents, in gaps at the eaves and on decks. A roof covering that burns, or a roof full of dry needles, gives them fuel. That is why the roof, and everything around its edges, is the first thing to get right.

What Class A, B and C actually mean

Roof fire ratings come from ASTM E108 (also published as UL 790) and its Canadian counterpart, CAN/ULC-S107. The tests expose a roof sample to fire from outside the building: a flame spreading across the surface, burning wood brands dropped on it, and repeated bursts of flame. The rating belongs to the assembly that was tested, meaning the covering, the underlayment and the deck together. Change one layer and the rating may not hold.

Class A

Severe fire exposure

Maximum flame spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Burning brand test: One 30 cm (12 in) brand, about 2,000 g
Intermittent flame: 15 cycles

The rating FireSmart Canada says offers the best protection.

Class B

Moderate fire exposure

Maximum flame spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Burning brand test: Two 15 cm (6 in) brands, about 500 g each
Intermittent flame: 8 cycles

Better than C, not the choice for a house or cottage in the woods.

Class C

Light fire exposure

Maximum flame spread: 4.0 m (13 ft)
Burning brand test: Twenty 4 cm (1.5 in) brands, about 9 g each
Intermittent flame: 3 cycles

Not recommended where wildfire or nearby structure fires are a risk.

Roofing materials compared for fire

Typical classifications as tested. Any one product can differ, so ask for the product's fire listing and the assembly it was tested on. As the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction put it to CBC News in 2023, Class A roofing materials provide similar protection whatever they are made of.

Typical fire classification of common roofing materials
Material	Typical fire classification	What to know
Untreated cedar shakes and shingles	Commonly unrated	FireSmart Canada: untreated wood shakes create a dangerous combination of combustible material and crevices where embers collect.
Fire-retardant-treated cedar	Class B or C; some Class A as a tested assembly	The treatment can weather out over the years. Check the product's listing and age.
Asphalt shingles (fibreglass)	Commonly Class A	Fibreglass-mat shingles are usually Class A. The roof still has to be kept clear of needles and leaves, which can ignite on top of it.
Clay and concrete tile	Commonly Class A	Non-combustible, but heavy, and the gaps under the tile need ember-resistant closures at the eaves and ridge.
Natural slate	Commonly Class A	Non-combustible and heavy; the roof structure has to be built for the weight.
Synthetic and rubber composite	Varies by product	Some products reach Class A only with a specific underlayment. Read the listing, not the brochure.
Interlock® aluminum	Class A Fire Rated Available as a complete assembly	Two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 12 mm (15/32-inch) plywood, per ASTM E108. Aluminum itself does not ignite.

The Interlock® roof, built as a Class A assembly

Interlock® roofs are heavy-gauge aluminum, made in Canada by Interlock Roofing Ltd. at its plant in Delta, BC, and installed in the Maritimes by our own Maritimes company. Class A Fire Rated Available as a complete assembly: two layers of GAF VersaShield® fire-resistant underlayment over 12 mm (15/32-inch) plywood, per ASTM E108. CAN/ULC-S107 is the matching Canadian test standard.

The panels weigh roughly 2 to 3.5 kg per square metre depending on profile, a fraction of tile or slate. Every profile (Slate, Cedar Shingle, Shake, Mediterranean Tile and Standing Seam) needs a minimum 3/12 roof slope.

If your house or cottage backs onto woods, tell us at the estimate. We price the Class A assembly and walk the whole roof edge with you: gutters, vents, eaves and anywhere embers could collect.

Product engineering and test reports are the manufacturer's to explain: interlockroofing.com ↗

Beyond the roof: FireSmart your property

FireSmart Canada divides the land around a building into three zones, and the closer to the house, the more it matters; the Government of New Brunswick and the Government of Prince Edward Island both promote the same FireSmart approach. FireSmart Canada's roof fact sheet lists asphalt-composition shingles, metal, and slate, clay or concrete tile as Class A roofing.

Immediate zone · 0 to 1.5 m

The house and a non-combustible strip around it. This is where embers reach the roof, gutters, vents, decks and anything stored against the walls, and every inside corner of the roof is a place where debris and embers collect.

Intermediate zone · 1.5 to 10 m

Reduce shrubs, evergreen trees and dead material within 10 metres of buildings, and move firewood, sheds and fuel away from the house.

Extended zone · 10 to 30 m

Thin and prune trees within 10 to 30 metres of the house, and clear dead material, so a fire coming through the lot drops to the ground.

Roof and roof-edge checklist

Choose a Class A roof assembly. Ask your roofer what the assembly is, not just the panel.
Keep the roof and gutters clear of needles and leaves, and choose non-combustible gutters and downspouts; FireSmart Canada names galvanized steel, copper and aluminum.
Fit non-combustible vents with 3 mm metal screening, as the FireSmart Home Ignition Zone self-assessment recommends, to keep embers out of the attic.
Close open eaves and the gaps at the ridge and roof edges where embers and debris collect, including every inside corner of the roof.
Keep skylights and solar panels clear of debris; FireSmart Canada's roof fact sheet notes they can be an entry or collection point for wind-blown embers.
Put a non-combustible surface under decks, extending 1.5 metres out from the edge, and don't store anything combustible on or under them in fire season.

FireSmart Canada's Home Ignition Zone self-assessment walks you through your own property. Your municipality or local fire department can tell you about fire restrictions and burning rules where you live.

Fire-resistant roofing: questions, answered

What is the most fire-resistant roofing material?

Any covering installed as a Class A assembly gives the best protection, and non-combustible coverings such as metal, clay or concrete tile and natural slate don't add fuel. Under ASTM E108 and CAN/ULC-S107 the fire classification belongs to the whole assembly (covering, underlayment and deck), so the same covering can rate differently on a different build-up. On our roofs, Class A Fire Rated Available as a complete assembly: two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 12 mm plywood.

Is a metal roof more fire resistant than asphalt shingles?

Not by rating alone. The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction told CBC News in 2023 that as long as roofing materials are graded Class A, they provide similar protection. What aluminum adds is that it does not ignite, so embers landing on it have nothing to burn. Interlock® roofs have Class A Fire Rated Available as a complete assembly, with two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 12 mm (15/32-inch) plywood, per ASTM E108.

What is a Class A fire-rated roof assembly?

A roof assembly that passed the most severe of the three fire tests in ASTM E108 (UL 790) or its Canadian counterpart, CAN/ULC-S107: flame spread of no more than 1.8 m (6 ft), a 30 cm burning brand of about 2,000 g without the deck igniting, and 15 cycles of intermittent flame. Class B and C use smaller brands and allow more spread.

What roofing does FireSmart Canada recommend?

FireSmart Canada says a Class A fire-rated roof assembly offers the best protection, and its roof fact sheet lists asphalt-composition shingles, metal, and slate, clay or concrete tile as Class A roofing. It also says to clean leaves, needles and other debris off the roof regularly.

Are cedar shakes a fire risk?

Untreated cedar shakes are commonly unrated, and FireSmart Canada says untreated wood shakes create a dangerous combination of combustible material. Treated shakes do better, but the treatment can weather out.

Does a metal roof make my house fireproof?

No roof does, and no honest roofer will say so. A Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources FireSmart liaison told CBC News in 2023 that even a protected home can still catch fire from a wildfire. A Class A assembly and a covering that does not ignite take away the largest ember target on the house; clear gutters, screened vents, a non-combustible strip around the walls and managed trees do the rest.

Do I need a Class A roof assembly in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or PEI?

It depends on the building and where it is, so check with your municipality's building or fire department before you start. Where it isn't required, FireSmart Canada still says a Class A fire-rated roof assembly offers the best protection, and that matters most for homes, cottages and rural properties in or beside the woods.

Is my rural home or cottage at risk from wildfire?

Any building in or beside forest can be reached by embers, which can travel two kilometres according to the FireSmart Begins at Home manual. The 2023 Upper Tantallon / Hammonds Plains fire burned through suburban subdivisions on the edge of Halifax, and the Barrington Lake fire through rural Shelburne County. Start at the roof, then work down the walls and out through the three FireSmart zones.

Will a fire-resistant roof lower my insurance?

Each insurer sets its own rates and rules, so ask yours directly and get the answer in writing. A new roof with a documented Class A assembly is something you can show your insurer.

Who do I call to report a wildfire?

In Nova Scotia, call the Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-565-2224. In New Brunswick, the province says to call 911 or the Department of Natural Resources. In Prince Edward Island, call 911. Anywhere, if people or buildings are in danger, call 911.

Can you install the Class A assembly on my house or cottage?

Yes, on Prince Edward Island. Tell us at the estimate that you want the Class A assembly priced, and we'll walk the whole roof edge with you: gutters, vents, eaves and anything else embers could reach. Call (782) 825-6416 or book a free consultation.

Sources

Figures are as published by each source on the date noted. Page reviewed October 2026.

Get the Class A assembly priced.

A fixed price in writing after one visit. Maritime Metal Roofing Ltd. · 101 Thornhill Dr #105, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1S2