Appendix BB — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS
Section C102
California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
C102.1 Minimum number of fire hydrants for a building.¶
The number of fire hydrants available to a building shall be not less than the minimum specified in Table C102.1.
TABLE C102.1 REQUIRED NUMBER AND SPACING OF FIRE HYDRANTS h
| FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENT (gpm) |
MINIMUM NUMBER OF HYDRANTS |
AVERAGE SPACING BETWEEN HYDRANTSa, b, c, f, g (feet) |
MAXIMUM DISTANCE FROM ANY POINT ON STREET OR ROAD FRONTAGE TO A HYDRANTd, f, g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,750 or less | 1 | 500 | 250 |
| 1,751–2,250 | 2 | 450 | 225 |
| 2,251–2,750 | 3 | 450 | 225 |
| 2,751–3,250 | 3 | 400 | 225 |
| 3,251–4,000 | 4 | 350 | 210 |
| 4,001–5,000 | 5 | 300 | 180 |
| 5,001–5,500 | 6 | 300 | 180 |
| 5,501–6,000 | 6 | 250 | 150 |
| 6,001–7,000 | 7 | 250 | 150 |
| 7,001 or more | 8 or moree | 200 | 120 |
For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 gallon per minute = 3.785 L/m. a. Reduce by 100 feet for dead-end streets or roads. b. Where streets are provided with median dividers that cannot be crossed by fire fighters pulling hose lines, or where arterial streets are provided with four or
more traffic lanes and have a traffic count of more than 30,000 vehicles per day, hydrant spacing shall average 500 feet on each side of the street and be arranged on an alternating basis. c. Where new water mains are extended along streets where hydrants are not needed for protection of structures or similar fire problems, fire hydrants shall be
provided at spacing not to exceed 1,000 feet to provide for transportation hazards. d. Reduce by 50 feet for dead-end streets or roads. e. One hydrant for each 1,000 gallons per minute or fraction thereof. f. A 50-percent spacing increase shall be permitted where the building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with
Section 903.3.1.1 of the California Fire Code . g. A 25-percent spacing increase shall be permitted where the building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with
Section 903.3.1.2 or 903.3.1.3 of the California Fire Code or Section 313 of the California Residential Code . h. The fire code official is authorized to modify the location, number and distribution of fire hydrants based on site-specific constraints and hazards.
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APPENDIX C—FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
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