Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
A rebooted statewide process to develop wildfire hazard maps is closing in on finishing its public outreach component.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is hosting a public session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, July 1 at the Oregon Military Department Armory, 402 E. Scenic Dr., The Dalles.
The ODF held sessions in June in Central Point, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Remond and LaGrande The Dalles town hall will offer opportunities to learn about new defensible space and home hardening standards as well as the draft wildfire hazard map.
The open houses are being held in the communities that have some of the greatest levels of wildfire hazard within the wildland-urban interface. Monday’s event will begin with a short presentation and introductions, but visitors may stop in at any point during the event to get questions answered about the draft hazard map and associated community wildfire programs. Representatives from multiple state agencies will be present to have one-on-one or small group conversations and answer questions.
Oregon Department of Forestry representatives will address questions on administrative rules and hazard zone assessment appeals.
Oregon State University representatives will address questions on wildfire hazard science, statewide data sources, and updates to the draft hazard map made during the past two years.
Oregon State Fire Marshal representatives will address questions regarding defensible space standards, code adoption process and implementation.
Building Codes Division representatives from the Department of Consumer and Business Services will address questions on home hardening construction standards, related code provisions, and implementation.
Division of Financial Regulation representatives from the Department of Consumer and Business Services will address questions on the home insurance market and requirements of insurers.
Wildfire Programs Advisory Council members will address questions on statewide policy direction for wildfire programs and council business.
The sessions stem from mandates in Senate Bill 762 (2021) and Senate Bill 80 (2023). SB 762 required the ODF to develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide map of wildfire risk that included wildland-urban interface boundaries and five fire risk classes by June 30, 2022. The ODF worked with the OSU College of Forestry on the maps. After the initial version of the map was rescinded Aug. 4, 2022 amid widespread criticism, the ODF and OSU began gathering feedback and incorporating it into future mapping efforts.
SB 80 made several changes to the map process, including changing the name from a “risk” map to a “hazard” map, reducing the number of hazard classes from five to three, and changing the appeal and notification requirements.
Those who can’t attend Monday’s session are welcome to offer written comments and questions about any aspect of the program via email to [email protected].
General information on the mapping project is available at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Pages/wildfire-hazard.aspx.
