New England · Fire rating guide

Fire-resistant roofing, New England

A roof's fire rating belongs to the whole assembly, and Class A is the highest of the three. Wildfire is a small risk for most New England homes, but the rating still matters for a house that backs onto woods, for a neighbor's fire, and for your insurer. This guide covers what the ratings mean, how roofing materials compare and what to ask, from the people who replace New England roofs every week.

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Fire rating

Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly

Two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 15/32-inch plywood, per ASTM E108 / UL 790.

The metal

Aluminum does not ignite

Embers that land on the roof have nothing to burn.

Massachusetts

About 1,500 wildfires a year, 1,200–2,000 acres

Mass. DCR. Most are small.

How much fire risk does a New England roof face?

Less than in the West, and it is worth being honest about that. Massachusetts averages about 1,500 wildfires a year, but together they burn only about 1,200 to 2,000 acres, according to the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, which says April is traditionally the start of the fire season. On average that is roughly an acre per fire: most are small brush and woodland fires.

So for most homes the fire rating is not about a wall of flame. It is about embers from a brush fire or a neighbor's house fire landing on the roof, about what is in your gutters when they do, and about the questions your insurer asks. A Class A assembly with a covering that does not ignite answers all three.

How a house catches fire from outside

Many houses lost to wildfire are never touched by a wall of flame. They catch from embers: 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, 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 in the U.S. come from ASTM E108, also published as UL 790. 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: 6 ft
Burning brand test: One 12 × 12 in brand, about 4.4 lb
Intermittent flame: 15 cycles

The highest of the three ratings.

Class B

Moderate fire exposure

Maximum flame spread: 8 ft
Burning brand test: Two 6 × 6 in brands, about 1.1 lb each
Intermittent flame: 8 cycles

Better than C; not the top rating.

Class C

Light fire exposure

Maximum flame spread: 13 ft
Burning brand test: Twenty 1.5 × 1.5 in brands, about 0.3 oz each
Intermittent flame: 3 cycles

The lowest rating a roof covering can carry.

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.

Typical fire classification of common roofing materials
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. Many older New England cedar roofs are untreated.
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	Two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 15/32-inch plywood, per ASTM E108 / UL 790. Aluminum itself does not ignite.

The Interlock® roof, built as a Class A assembly

Interlock® roofs are heavy-gauge aluminum, manufactured by Interlock Roofing in Delta, BC, and installed across New England by our own company. Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly: two layers of GAF VersaShield® fire-resistant underlayment over 15/32-inch plywood, per ASTM E108 / UL 790.

The panels weigh roughly 0.4 to 0.7 lb per square foot 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 backs onto woods, or your insurer has asked about the roof, tell us at the estimate. We price the Class A assembly and walk the roof edge with you: gutters, vents, eaves and anywhere debris collects.

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

Beyond the roof: the home ignition zone

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) divides the ground around a house into three zones, and says to start with the one closest to the house. 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 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 leaves and pine needles, especially in valleys and behind chimneys.
Screen eave and attic vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh, as NFPA recommends, to keep embers out of the attic.
Close gaps at the roof edges and ridge where debris and embers collect.
Don't store firewood, propane or anything combustible against the house or under a deck.

Your local fire department can tell you about open-burning rules and permits where you live.

Questions to ask your insurer

Each insurer sets its own rates and rules, so we can't tell you what a roof will do to your premium. Ask your agent, and get the answer in writing:

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?

We give you the product documents and the assembly details for your file.

Fire-resistant roofing: questions, answered

What is the most fire-resistant roofing material?

Non-combustible coverings such as metal, clay or concrete tile and natural slate, installed 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. On our roofs: Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly, with two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 15/32-inch plywood.

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, with two layers of GAF VersaShield® over 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): 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 New England homes?

For most homes, a small one. Massachusetts averages about 1,500 wildfires a year, but they burn only about 1,200 to 2,000 acres in total, according to the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, so most are small. The bigger reasons to care about a roof's fire rating here are a house that backs onto woods, a neighbor's house fire, and the questions your insurer asks.

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.

Do I need a Class A roof assembly in my town?

It depends on the building and where it is, so check with your town's building department before you start. We can price the Class A assembly on any Interlock® roof.

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. Useful questions: does the policy ask for the roof's fire classification, does the roof's age or material change the premium, and what documents do they want after a replacement. A new roof with a documented Class A assembly is something you can show them.

Can you install the Class A assembly on my house?

Yes, in New England. Tell us at the estimate that you want the Class A assembly priced, and we'll walk the roof edge with you: gutters, vents and eaves. Call (508) 257-7859 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 written price after your roof consultation. Interlock Metal Roofing (New England) Inc. · 25 Walpole Park S Unit 7, Walpole, MA 02081-2522