What is the maximum allowable distance to an exit in a building equipped with approved automatic sprinklers?

In a building equipped with approved automatic sprinklers, the maximum allowable distance to an exit is indeed 250 feet. This distance is provided in the California Building Code as it recognizes that automatic sprinkler systems significantly enhance fire safety. The presence of sprinklers can help control or extinguish a fire, reducing the immediate risk to occupants and allowing for longer travel distances to exits safely.

The rationale behind this longer distance is that the effectiveness of an automatic sprinkler system can provide additional time for occupants to evacuate, thereby increasing the distance one may travel to reach an exit without significantly increasing the risk during a fire emergency. Buildings without sprinklers typically have stricter requirements for exit distance due to the higher risk they present to occupants. Therefore, the critical point here is that the presence of approved automatic sprinklers allows for this increased maximum exit distance.