Protecting a Highway 192 Timber-Lagging Wall in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

Highway 192 runs through a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the most severe rating CAL FIRE assigns. NanoTech worked with Security Paving to coat a 1,200-square-foot timber-lagging wall there with Wildfire Shield, with minimal disruption to traffic.

NanoTech Materials teamed up with Security Paving to coat a 1,200-square-foot wood timber-lagging wall along Highway 192 in Santa Barbara, California, for the Department of Transportation. The work finished in October 2024 with little traffic disruption, and the fire-resistant coating blends naturally into the surroundings.

It is a clear example of Wildfire Shield doing two jobs at once: protecting critical transportation infrastructure in a wildfire-prone region, and keeping the scenic character of the area intact.

Project at a glance

A scenic corridor in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

The Santa Barbara foothills have burned repeatedly, and Highway 192 runs through terrain that CAL FIRE rates a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the most severe class there is. Combustible roadside timber lagging in that setting is a clear liability, and any fix also had to keep the corridor's scenic character.

What a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone means

Per CAL FIRE, Fire Hazard Severity Zones classify a wildland area as Moderate, High or Very High based on the average hazard across it. A Very High rating is the top of that scale. It is exactly the kind of place Wildfire Shield is built for.

How the coating protects in high-hazard terrain

Under radiant heat and flame, timber ignites and chars, spreads fire and loses strength. Intumescent fireproofing only reacts once heating starts, so the wood can ignite before the coating activates.

A passive barrier that needs no activation energy

Wildfire Shield protects passively from the moment it cures. Its patented ICP technology pairs high emissivity, high reflectivity and low thermal conductivity to reflect and re-radiate heat and slow its path into the wood, forming a high-temperature thermal barrier with no flame spread and no smoke (ASTM E84 Class A, 0/0). In testing witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel, coated timber lagging was held under a direct propane-torch flame for 20 minutes while the thermocouples behind the coating stayed near ambient.

Wildfire Shield applied with minimal traffic disruption

Working with Security Paving, NanoTech-guided applicators coated the 1,200-square-foot wall in October 2024. They cleaned and moisture-checked the substrate, then built the coating up in passes to the specified thickness, moving efficiently to keep traffic flowing. The flat finish settles into the surrounding environment.

What the coating system delivered

• Class A fire protection on a wall in a Very High FHSZ (ASTM E84, 0/0)

• Efficient application with minimal traffic disruption

• Passive, non-sacrificial protection with no activation energy

• A finish that keeps the corridor's scenic character

• A water-based coating with simple water cleanup

• Backed by NanoTech's 10-year material warranty

Highway 192 sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

Per CAL FIRE, Fire Hazard Severity Zones classify a wildland zone as Moderate, High or Very High based on the average hazard across the area. A Very High rating is the most severe class.

High-hazard protection, scenic character preserved

The 1,200-square-foot wall now carries Class A passive fire protection in one of California's highest-hazard zones, finished with little traffic disruption and a look that keeps the area's scenic appeal.

What this means for your team

The same outcome reads differently depending on your role. Here is what this project means for the people who own, specify and apply fire-protection coatings.

For DOT structural & fire-protection engineers

Wildfire Shield gives specifiers a documented, independently tested alternative to defaulting to concrete for fire-exposed wooden infrastructure. It is verified to ASTM E84 (Class A, 0/0), plus E119, E162 and E662, and it came through a 20-minute direct flame-impingement test on timber lagging witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel. That is the kind of evidence it takes to qualify a non-traditional material with confidence.

For DOT district managers & budget authorities

Coating in place, or shop-applying off-site, preserves existing timber lagging instead of replacing it with costlier concrete or steel. Wildfire Shield is non-sacrificial and is built to protect the structure across repeated fire events when the system is maintained, so it stretches mitigation budgets across more lane-miles while keeping crews and traffic moving.

For bridge & highway contractors / applicators

Wildfire Shield is sprayed or rolled with common equipment and conforms to the geometry of timber lagging, abutments and fences, with no jacketing or fabrication required. On-site or off-site shop application removes seasonal and just-in-time bottlenecks, and NanoTech's certified-applicator training and supervision keep DOT-specified work on schedule.

Wildfire Shield technical specifications

Wildfire Shield is a water-based, non-sacrificial fire-mitigation coating built on NanoTech's patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology. Key published properties are summarized below; confirm project specifics against the current Technical Data Sheet and SDS.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wildfire Shield suited to the highest-hazard zones?

Yes. It is Class A (ASTM E84, 0/0), tested to multiple ASTM fire standards and validated in a 20-minute flame-impingement test on timber lagging. It has been used in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone corridors such as Highway 192.

How is Wildfire Shield different from intumescent fireproofing?

Intumescent coatings must be triggered by fire. They char and swell only after the substrate begins to heat, so the wood can ignite before the coating activates, and the char can give off smoke and toxicity. Wildfire Shield is non-sacrificial and works the moment it is applied. Its mix of high emissivity, high reflectivity and low thermal conductivity reflects and re-radiates heat and slows the heat that reaches the wood, with no flame spread and no smoke development (ASTM E84 Class A, 0/0).

Can the coating survive more than one fire?

Yes. Because it is non-sacrificial, Wildfire Shield is designed to protect the underlying structure through repeated wildfire events when the coating system is inspected and maintained. NanoTech recommends yearly inspections for wear, cracking or damage, and worn areas can be touched up by overcoating rather than fully replaced.

How hot can Wildfire Shield withstand?

It withstands direct flame exposure up to 3,272°F (1,800°C). In testing witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel, coated timber lagging was held under a direct propane-torch flame for 20 minutes while the thermocouples behind the coating stayed near ambient.

Is it safe and environmentally responsible?

Wildfire Shield is water-based and non-toxic, with no reportable VOCs and no toxic runoff or leaching, and it is not classified as hazardous for supply or use. It cleans up with water and suits sensitive settings such as national parks and the wildland-urban interface.

Related resources

From NanoTech Materials

• Wildfire Shield product page

• Fire Protective Coating System overview

• Wildfire mitigation applications

• Industries we serve

• Resource library and case studies

• Request a quote or join the certified-applicator network

External references

• CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection)

• ASTM International fire-test standards

Talk to NanoTech about wildfire protection

Protecting timber lagging, bridges, utility poles, fences or homes in a wildfire-prone area? Talk to NanoTech about Wildfire Shield, or join our certified-applicator network. Call (888) 296-6266, email [email protected], or visit nanotechmaterials.com.

About NanoTech Materials. NanoTech Materials is a Houston-based materials-science company developing advanced coatings for energy efficiency and fire protection. Its Fire Protective Coating System, including Wildfire Shield, is built on patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology to protect critical wooden infrastructure and high-value assets from wildfire, buying time and saving lives.

_{© 2026 NanoTech Materials. All rights reserved. Performance data summarized from NanoTech technical documentation (TDS, SDS, Application & Technical Manual) and the Wildfire Shield Project Portfolio; confirm project-specific details and current published values with a NanoTech representative.}