SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 12, 2025 — In the wake of increasingly destructive wildfires that have ravaged communities across the state, California is facing a critical decision point on how it chooses to rebuild. A new initiative, Building With Resilience, has launched with the goal of promoting safer, more sustainable rebuilding efforts through the use of non-combustible construction materials.

Led by the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA), the campaign highlights the benefits of durable, fire-resistant materials that are already manufactured and readily available throughout California. These include concrete, stone, masonry, fiber cement, metal, and asphalt—all of which offer not just fire safety, but added durability, energy efficiency, and lower insurance costs.

“People have learned for thousands of years that you can never truly fireproof our built environment. And yet we know owners, designers, and builders are still having to make choices each day about non-combustible materials used in construction and infrastructure development. This initiative will help make clear there is an absolute standard for fire resilience,” said Robert Dugan, President and CEO of CalCIMA.

The initiative seeks to educate local governments, developers, and homeowners about the long-term value of building with resilient materials—not only for homes but also for critical infrastructure like roads, water systems, and power lines, which often fail during wildfires and delay emergency response.

“We’ll convene the world’s leading experts with a focus on how we can prioritize the use of concrete, masonry, metal, stone, fiber-cement, and asphalt readily available here in California today and in ways that meet the state’s ambitious environmental and climate goals. This matters not only for housing but for community infrastructure, especially roads and water which are critical during fire events. We know the structural and sustainable arguments for concrete homes and infrastructure are being made. There are companies in-market today delivering—but we need local governments to prioritize codes and ordinances that ensure a smooth path to non-combustible construction. We expect this initiative to help local leaders prioritize where they can act today,” Dugan added.

California has suffered through some of the most destructive wildfire seasons in U.S. history in recent years, with climate change contributing to longer fire seasons, higher temperatures, and drier conditions. In many cases, homes rebuilt after previous fires using traditional wood-frame construction have burned again in subsequent blazes. The Building With Resilience campaign says that’s a cycle the state must break.

“California is at a turning point where we can and must build better than before. We can no longer tolerate homes and communities being destroyed by fires by rebuilding in ways that we know aren’t safe. Let’s build our future with safer structures by using materials that don’t burn, rot, or rust. This will minimize damage and speed up recovery for those of us that will inevitably face future fire threats,” said Tom Tietz, Executive Director of the California Nevada Cement Association.

The campaign also aims to influence state and local policy. It encourages building code updates, financial incentives, and community-level education to promote non-combustible construction practices as part of broader climate resilience and disaster preparedness strategies.

Stakeholders argue that these materials don’t just offer enhanced safety—they also play a critical role in meeting California’s clean air, clean water, and climate change mitigation goals. For example, longer-lasting infrastructure reduces the need for frequent replacement and lowers the overall carbon footprint of development.

“Homeowners and developers want to build back better, but they need clear guidance, cost-effective options, and support from regulators,” said a representative from the campaign’s advisory board. “We’re here to help provide that roadmap.”

As communities begin the long road to recovery from the latest wildfires, Building With Resilience underscores a growing consensus: building smarter today can save lives, property, and public resources tomorrow.

Originally reported by Business Wire.