Fire pathways

A pathway is a clear strip running from the eave up to the ridge, so firefighters can climb the roof. It follows a sloped edge: a rake, a hip or a valley.

The rule Cali-Graf checks

CRC R329.6.1: a 36″ pathway from eave to ridge on each face with solar — on that face, on the next face, or 18″ + 18″ across a hip or valley — and at least two pathways on the roof, on separate faces, one of them facing the street or driveway. Faces of 2:12 or flatter don’t need one.

Check the pathways

Pick Panels and open Fire pathways on the right. It lists every face with solar — whether it has a pathway, still needs one or is low enough not to need one — and the roof as a whole.

Tick One pathway faces the street or driveway once you’ve checked on the image that one of them does — Cali-Graf can’t see where the street is.

Add the missing ones

1. Let Cali-Graf do it

   Fill roof (X) adds missing pathways on its own. After you move panels by hand, press Fix pathways: it adds pathways where they push out the fewest panels.

2. Or add one by hand

   Pick Select, click a rake, hip or valley and press Add fire pathway here. To take one away, select the same edge and press Remove fire pathway.

Panels that end up in a pathway turn red — move or remove them, see Why panels turn red.