Texas · Fire rating guide
Fire-resistant roofing in Texas
A roof's fire rating belongs to the whole assembly, and Class A is the highest of the three. In the Panhandle and West Texas, grass and brush fires are a real risk, so the rating matters for homes near open land, for a neighbor's fire, and for your insurer. This guide covers what the ratings mean, how roofing materials compare and what to ask before you sign.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 7, 2026
Fire rating
Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly
Over GAF VersaShield® per ICC-ES ESR-2053 (ASTM E108).
The metal
Aluminum does not ignite
Embers that land on the roof have nothing to burn.
Texas
About 1,075,000 acres
Smokehouse Creek Fire, 2024: the largest in state history (Texas A&M AgriLife).
How much wildfire risk does a Texas roof face?
It depends on where you live, and in the Panhandle and West Texas it is real. The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which started in Hutchinson County in the Panhandle in 2024, burned about 1,075,000 acres and has been declared the largest wildfire in Texas history (Texas A&M AgriLife).
For most homes the fire rating is about embers from a grass or brush fire, or a neighbor's house fire, landing on the roof, what is in your gutters when they do, and the questions your insurer asks. A Class A assembly with a covering that does not ignite answers all three.
How does a house catch fire from outside?
Mostly from embers. Many houses lost to wildfire are never touched by a wall of flame: they catch from burning bark, leaves and debris carried by the wind ahead of the fire.
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 and leaves, gives them fuel. That is why the roof, and everything around its edges, is the first thing to get right.
What do Class A, B and C actually mean?
They are the three fire classes of ASTM E108, also published as UL 790, and Class A is the highest. 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 | Exposure | Maximum flame spread | Burning brand test | Intermittent flame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A | Severe fire exposure | 6 ft | One 12 × 12 in brand, about 4.4 lb | 15 cycles |
| Class B | Moderate fire exposure | 8 ft | Two 6 × 6 in brands, about 1.1 lb each | 8 cycles |
| Class C | Light fire exposure | 13 ft | Twenty 1.5 × 1.5 in brands, about 0.3 oz each | 3 cycles |
How do roofing materials compare for fire?
Non-combustible coverings built as a Class A assembly do best. Typical classifications as tested are below; any one product can differ, so ask for the product's fire listing and the assembly it was tested on.
| Material | Typical fire classification | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Untreated cedar shakes and shingles | Commonly unrated | Wood burns, and the gaps between shakes collect needles and leaves. |
| 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 (fiberglass) | Commonly Class A | Fiberglass-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 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 | Over GAF VersaShield® fire-resistant underlayment, per ICC-ES ESR-2053 (ASTM E108). Aluminum itself does not ignite. |
How is the Interlock® roof built as a Class A assembly?
With a fire-resistant underlayment under the aluminum: Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly, over GAF VersaShield® per ICC-ES ESR-2053 (ASTM E108). The rating is for the assembly, so ask for it by name when you request a quote.
The panels are heavy-gauge aluminum, made in North America by Interlock Roofing, and weigh about 0.41 to 0.59 lb per square foot installed depending on profile, a fraction of tile or slate. Every profile needs a minimum 3/12 roof slope.
If your house backs onto woods or brush, or your insurer has asked about the roof, tell the certified installer assigned to your project. They price the Class A assembly in their written proposal and can walk the roof edge with you: gutters, vents, eaves and anywhere debris collects.
What else matters? The home ignition zone
The ground closest to the house matters most. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) divides it into three zones and says to start with the one nearest the walls; most of it is ordinary yard work.
Immediate zone · 0 to 5 ft
The house and the ground within 5 feet of it. NFPA says to make this zone non-combustible and to start here: clear leaves, needles and debris from the roof and gutters, and fix loose or missing shingles where embers could get in.
Intermediate zone · 5 to 30 ft
Keep plants, mulch and grass managed and spaced, and move firewood, propane and anything that burns away from the house.
Extended zone · 30 to 100 ft
Thin and prune trees and clear dead material, so a ground fire stays on the ground and away from the house.
Roof and roof edge
Keep valleys and gutters clear, screen eave and attic vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh as NFPA recommends, close gaps at roof edges and the ridge, and don't store anything combustible against the house or under a deck.
What should you ask your insurer?
Ask directly, and get the answer in writing: each insurer sets its own rates and rules, so no roofer or roof maker can tell you what a roof will do to your premium.
- Does the policy ask for the roof's fire classification, its material or its age?
- Would a new roof with a documented Class A assembly change the premium or the coverage?
- What paperwork do you want after the roof is replaced?
Keep the product documents and the assembly details with your policy papers; the installer can give you both.
Questions, answered
What is the most fire-resistant roofing material?
Non-combustible coverings such as metal, clay or concrete tile and natural slate, built as a Class A assembly. Under ASTM E108 (UL 790) the fire classification belongs to the whole assembly (covering, underlayment and deck), so the same covering can rate differently on a different build-up. For the Interlock® roof: Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly, over GAF VersaShield® per ICC-ES ESR-2053.
Is a metal roof fire resistant?
Aluminum does not ignite, so embers landing on it have nothing to burn. The fire rating, though, is for the assembly: Interlock® roofs have Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly, over GAF VersaShield® underlayment.
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): flame spread of no more than 6 feet, a burning 12 × 12 inch brand of about 4.4 lb without the deck igniting, and 15 cycles of intermittent flame. Class B and C use smaller brands and allow more spread.
Is wildfire a real risk for Texas homes?
In the Panhandle and West Texas, yes. The 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire burned about 1,075,000 acres and is the largest wildfire in Texas history (Texas A&M AgriLife). Elsewhere the bigger reasons to care about a roof's fire rating are embers from grass fires, a neighbor's fire and your insurer.
Are asphalt shingles fire resistant?
Most fiberglass asphalt shingles reach Class A when tested as an assembly over the specified deck. The weak point is usually what sits on and around them: leaves and needles in valleys and gutters, open vents and gaps at the eaves.
Are cedar shakes a fire risk?
Untreated cedar shakes are commonly unrated: wood burns, and the gaps between shakes collect debris. 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 Class A assembly and a covering that does not ignite take away the largest target on the house. Clear gutters, screened vents and a non-combustible strip around the walls do the rest.
Will a fire-resistant roof lower my insurance?
Ask your carrier. Each insurer sets its own rates and rules, so get the answer in writing. A new roof with a documented Class A assembly is something you can show them; the installer can give you the product documents and assembly details for your file.
Can the Class A assembly go on my house in Texas?
Ask for it when you request a quote. Metal Roofing Texas assigns a certified Interlock installer to your project, who prices the Class A assembly in their written proposal.
Sources
- Texas A&M AgriLife Today (March 5, 2024): the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest wildfire in Texas history
- NFPA: Preparing homes for wildfire (home ignition zone, vent screening)
- ASTM E108 / UL 790 test summary
- ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-1790, Interlock Roofing, reissued September 2025 (PDF)
- Interlock Roofing: the aluminum roofing system (manufacturer)
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Laws, codes and statistics are as published by the source cited. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 7, 2026.
Get the Class A assembly quoted.
Metal Roofing Texas supplies the roof and assigns a certified Interlock installer for your part of Texas, who visits, measures and gives you a written proposal. Texas issues no state roofing license, so ask the installer for their certificate of insurance and their city registration where your city requires one.
