Fire walls in wood frame or masonry construction are:

• A. Freestanding Walls
• B. Non-Rated Walls
• C. Bearing Walls
• D. Partition Walls

Answer: (A)

Fire walls are designed to act as independent, self-supporting barriers that separate occupancies and resist fire for a specified period. In wood-frame or masonry construction, this wall is built to stand on its own—continuous from foundation to roof—without relying on adjacent structural framing for its integrity. This freestanding, self-contained nature distinguishes a fire wall from a simple partition or non-rated wall and is essential to containing fire spread between areas.