Fire Documentation for Commercial Artificial Greenery: What to Ask a Supplier For

If you are putting artificial greenery into a hotel, restaurant, office, or event space, someone will eventually ask what it is made of and what happens when flame touches it. This guide sets out what Ontario's Fire Code actually says about decorative materials, what CAN/ULC-S109 and NFPA 701 are, where NFPA 289 fits, and what documentation to ask any supplier for. It is general information, not code advice: acceptance of any material in any specific building is decided by the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) and your project's own code consultants.

Eververda's position. We publish a fire figure only where documentation exists for that specific piece, and we describe nothing as "fire rated", because a tree is not a building assembly and the standards that apply to trees produce a pass or a fail, not a rating. On a commercial quote we establish the occupancy, the adopted code edition and what your AHJ will accept as documentation, in writing, before the order. Where no documented route exists for a piece, we say so and set out the alternatives. We do not claim a certificate for any product.

What does the Ontario Fire Code require for decorative materials?

The Ontario Fire Code is O. Reg. 213/07. Division B, Article 2.3.2.1(1) says that drapes, curtains, netting and other similar or decorative materials, including textiles and films used in buildings, shall meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S109 when used in: (a) a care and treatment occupancy or a detention occupancy; (b) a lobby or exit; (c) access to exit in assembly occupancies, and assembly occupancies with an occupant load of more than 100 persons; or (d) an open floor area exceeding 1,500 m² in a business and personal services, mercantile or industrial occupancy, unless it is divided into fire compartments each not exceeding 1,500 m² with a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 h. A hotel lobby is a listed location under (b).

The honest limit on that reading: the Ontario Fire Code does not mention "artificial vegetation", "artificial trees" or foliage anywhere. Applying Article 2.3.2.1 to an artificial tree rests on reading "other similar or decorative materials" broadly. Whether Ontario fire prevention officers do that for trees is not established, and no official Ontario guidance on it was found when this page was verified on 24 October 2026. Put the question to your AHJ in writing. The Code does not cite NFPA 701 or NFPA 289.

Under Article 1.2.1.1, unless otherwise specified, the owner is responsible for carrying out the provisions of the Code. The obligation sits with the owner or whoever controls the space, not with the seller. Outside Ontario, confirm the fire code in force for your building, and how it treats decorative materials, with your local AHJ.

What is CAN/ULC-S109?

CAN/ULC-S109-14, the "Standard for Flame Tests of Flame-Resistant Fabrics and Films", is the standard the Ontario Fire Code cites. Its scope covers flame-resistant fabrics of natural or synthetic fibres, or plastic films, intended for uses such as tents, awnings, draperies or decorations. It is not intended for clothing, nor for materials applied to building surfaces as interior finishes. Because it is a standard for fabrics and films, how it is applied to a three-dimensional artificial tree is a question to settle with your AHJ rather than assume. Ask which edition of the standard they will accept.

What is NFPA 701, and where does NFPA 289 fit?

NFPA 701, the "Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films" (current edition 2023), is a US standard. Its 2023 scope lists combustible artificial decorative vegetation by name, with Test Method 1 for material at or under 700 g/m² and Test Method 2 above that. It is a flame-propagation test on specimens, not a whole-item test. Its purpose clause says a pass "shall not be deemed to indicate whether the material tested resists the propagation of flame under more severe fire exposure conditions or when the material is used in a manner that differs from the test conditions", and its non-mandatory annex says freestanding decorative materials should be tested to NFPA 289.

NFPA 289, the "Standard Method of Fire Test for Individual Fuel Packages" (current edition 2023), is a whole-item heat release test. In the United States, the International Fire Code accepts either route for artificial vegetation: NFPA 701 Test Method 1 or 2, or NFPA 289 using the 20 kW ignition source with a maximum heat release rate of 100 kW. NFPA 289 is an alternative to NFPA 701, not an addition to it. The section is 807.4.1 from the 2018 edition onward and 806.2 in the 2015 edition, which some US jurisdictions still run. Our guide for US commercial buyers sets out both routes in full.

Suppliers reference NFPA 701 constantly, because much commercial foliage is made for the US market. For an Ontario project, the point to hold onto is that the Fire Code cites CAN/ULC-S109, not NFPA 701 or NFPA 289. A US test report is not a CAN/ULC-S109 report, and whether an Ontario AHJ will accept one for a given installation is theirs to decide. If a supplier's paperwork is NFPA only, that is a question for your code consultant and AHJ, not a substitute answer.

Is flame resistance permanent, or does it need renewing?

Where a product's flame resistance comes from a treatment rather than the material itself, Ontario's Fire Code, Article 2.3.2.2, says: "Flame retardant treatments shall be renewed as often as required to ensure that the material will pass the match flame test in NFPA 705." A treated product therefore carries an ongoing maintenance obligation: ask who renews the treatment, on what schedule, and how renewal is evidenced.

What documentation should you request from a supplier?

Request a test report or certificate that names the standard, the edition, the laboratory and the date, for the actual product being supplied (the same material and construction, ideally traceable to the batch), not a report for a different line from the same factory. Ask what was tested: the foliage material alone, a sample, or the complete item as sold. Where flame resistance comes from a topical treatment, request evidence of when it was applied and how renewal is handled. Keep the paperwork with the installation, so it can be produced where the product is.

Be wary of any supplier who answers a documentation question with an adjective. "Fire retardant" or "flame retardant" with no standard, edition, laboratory or date behind it is not evidence of anything, and "fireproof" or "flameproof" is not a claim anything supports for plastic foliage. A Class A flame spread index from ASTM E84, which is the surface burning test for wall and ceiling interior finish, does not satisfy the US artificial vegetation requirement either, because neither route in the code uses it.

Who decides whether a product is acceptable?

The local authority having jurisdiction (typically the fire department, fire marshal, or building official) together with your project's code consultants. Always. A test report is evidence, not permission; a marketing page is neither. The sound sequence: your code consultant identifies what the occupancy requires, the supplier documents the product, and the AHJ accepts or does not.

How does Eververda handle fire documentation?

Our catalogue includes a 3.3 × 3.3 ft large-format grass wall panel at $266.99 CAD, alongside standard panels such as the anti-UV boxwood fence panel at $127.99 CAD and quoted commercial pieces like the 9 ft commercial coconut palm at $2,787.99 to $6,291.99 CAD. We do not hold or claim a fire test certificate for any of these ourselves. The questions in this article are the ones to put to every supplier. For our listings, anything priced $3,000 CAD and above, and any architectural or commercial-scale piece, goes through our quote process, which is where to ask them, and we will tell you in writing what, if anything, the manufacturer can provide for that product. For anything under that threshold, email support@eververda.com with the product and the standard you are specifying to, and we will tell you what, if anything, the manufacturer can provide for that item.

Which questions matter most?

Frequently asked questions

What fire documentation do artificial plants need in Canada?

There is no single national answer that we can state. Ontario's Fire Code cites CAN/ULC-S109 for decorative materials, including textiles and films, in listed locations such as a lobby or exit, and it does not mention artificial trees by name. Outside Ontario, confirm the code in force with your AHJ. Start with your code consultant's read of your occupancy, then ask suppliers for matching documentation.

Is an NFPA 701 or NFPA 289 report accepted for Canadian projects?

Not automatically. Both are US standards, and the Ontario Fire Code cites neither. In the United States, the International Fire Code accepts either NFPA 701 Test Method 1 or 2, or NFPA 289 at 20 kW with a 100 kW maximum heat release rate. Whether such a report is acceptable for a specific Canadian installation is decided by the local AHJ and your code consultants.

Does a flame-resistance label mean a product is certified?

No. A label or designation is a manufacturer's attribute of the product, and marketing-page claims, including named standards, are claims until backed by a test report for the actual material. Request the report, check it matches what ships, and remember acceptance rests with the local AHJ, not the label.

How long does a topical flame retardant treatment last?

Not indefinitely, by the code's own logic. Ontario's Fire Code requires flame retardant treatments to be "renewed as often as required" so the material continues to pass the NFPA 705 match flame test: a requirement that only exists because treatments degrade. Specify who renews it, on what schedule, and what record proves it.

What paperwork should be on hand for a fire inspection?

Documentation for the material actually installed: a test report or certificate naming the standard, the edition, the laboratory and the date, plus renewal evidence for any topical treatment. Under Article 1.2.1.1 the owner is responsible for carrying out the Code, so the paperwork needs to be producible by whoever controls the space.

Specifying a full space? See artificial trees for hotel lobbies and specifying artificial trees for a restaurant fit-out, or compare wall systems in artificial green walls vs living walls. Browse green walls and commercial artificial plants, or request a quote.

Code text and standards references on this page were verified against the publishers' own published text on 24 October 2026. Eververda prices are CAD and current as of 30 August 2026.