Fire Hydrant data: Sedona fire district & city of Sedona

Back O Beyond Road is 244 ft from a Hydrant.  That hydrant is on Scenic drive at the front entrance, well within recommendations. (Pictured on this g)urance rates have indicated, we provide the following information.

The Sedona Fire District sets a critical residential distance threshold of 500 feet from a fire hydrant. If a single-family home or residential building is more than 500 feet from an active fire hydrant, the district requires the installation of an approved residential automatic fire sprinkler system (NFPA 13D).  

Fire Sprinkler Requirements – City of Sedona

· Square Footage Threshold: Sprinklers are mandatory if the gross floor area exceeds 3,600 square feet, which includes new builds and additions that push total existing/new space past this limit.

· Other Trigger Conditions: Even if a home is under 3,600 square feet, sprinklers may still be required under specific safety criteria such as being located more than 500 feet from a fire hydrant, sitting on a road with a grade over 12%, or being in a subdivision with only a single access point.

Operational and Code Limits

· Maximum Distance to Building: 600 feet maximum for single-family residential properties under standard National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines, though many local jurisdictions and the International Fire Code (IFC) tighten this limit to 300 to 400 feet for optimal initial attack performance (Sedona is 500ft)

· Hose Lay Realities: Fire engines carry limited pre-connected hose lengths (typically 150 to 200 feet of attack line), meaning distances beyond 300 feet require firefighters to lay large-diameter supply hose from the street hydrant back to the engine, delaying active water flow.

· Proximity Limits: Hydrants should not be placed closer than 40 feet from the structure to prevent damage or restricted access if the building suffers a structural collapse. 

· Roadway Access: Practical effectiveness requires the hydrant to sit within 15 feet of an approved fire apparatus access road or curb so heavy fire trucks can park and connect without blocking traffic.

The color code on top of a fire hydrant signifies the water flow capacity in gallons per minute (GPM), specifically using blue, green, and orange. According to National Fire Protection Association guidelines, these top and cap colors help firefighters instantly see how much water a hydrant can supply during an emergency. 

Water Flow Capacity Standards

· Blue: 1,500 or more GPM (very high capacity)

· Green: 1,000 to 1,499 GPM (high capacity)

· Orange: 500 to 999 GPM (medium capacity) 

(ALL HYDRANTS IN BACK O BEYOND RANCH ARE ORANGE) 

Our supply tank is on the top of Sky Mountain.

· Red: Fewer than 500 GPM (low capacity) [1]

We have 2 areas in our association, Inside the Gate, and homes outside the gate on Back O Beyond Road.

All homes INSIDE the gate are within 500ft of a hydrant, except mine.  Even through there is a hydrant at the end of my driveway, the driveway is 700ft to the main steps, and if you have to go around the back of the house it is over 1000 ft. However there is no wood in the house construction.

OUTSIDE the gate, on Back O Beyond Road (also in our HOA)

95 Back O Beyond Road is 244 ft from a Hydrant.  That hydrant is on Scenic drive at the front entrance, well within recommendations. (Pictured on this page)

145 Back O Beyond Road is 1011 ft from the hydrant, and I assume it has a Sprinkler system.  This length does not mean it will not get service, but it can take longer to lay a feed hose from the hydrant to the truck, and the entire run is downhill which helps.

I have been asked to inquiry about adding a Hydrant on Back O Beyond road.  That is something the homeowners on Back O Beyond  Road will have to inquire about, assuming there is a water main going down to Back O Beyond Circle.  I have no idea where the Back O Beyond homes on Back O Beyond Circle down by the creek get their potable water.  

Since we did not put any utilities in public streets, we have no control over what the water company will agree to do, or not.  In fact even inside our gates that is Arizona Water, not a Back O Beyond Ranch utility.

This is not a city water system, it is Arizona Water.

I hope all this information helps.

Mike Schroeder

President BOBR HOA