Steve Freihon/Related-Oxford
New York, New York
Mass Timber and Fire Safety | Mass Timber Podcast
June 02, 2026
This post is part of Thornton Tomasetti Here’s How: Mainstreaming Mass Timber, a podcast hosted by Paul Becker and Kristina Rogers exploring mass timber design, delivery and performance in structural engineering projects.
About This Episode
In this episode, Senior Principal Paul Becker and Vice President Kristina Rogers talk with Principal Ali Ashrafi about mass timber and fire safety. They discuss how fire risk is evaluated in timber buildings, why height, occupancy type, and exposed wood matter, and how performance-based fire design can help project teams communicate clearly with code officials and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs).
Listen to the Episode
Inside the Episode: Mass Timber and Fire Safety
Engineers are still learning about how fire behaves in mass timber buildings, so codes – though evolving quickly – impose conservative limits on timber buildings. In this episode, Senior Principal Paul Becker and Vice President Kristina Rogers speak with Principal Ali Ashrafi about how fire risk is evaluated in mass timber buildings and how teams use performance-based fire engineering to design buildings that push beyond code-mandated size or occupancies – and how this process delivers safe mass timber structures and facilitates AHJ approvals.
The conversation explores the variables that influence fire safety, such as building height, floor area, occupancy type, amount of exposed timber, site constraints on fire department access, and neighboring exposures. Ali explains why mass timber requires a project-specific approach that combines layers of safety and risk-reduction strategies, especially for taller buildings.
Paul, Kristina, and Ali also discuss how forensic fire investigation; advanced modeling analysis; experimental research; and early conversations with owners, design teams, and AHJs can help build confidence in a mass timber fire strategy. The episode emphasizes robust design, clear communication, and informed decision-making as the mass timber industry continues to evolve.
