This web page broadly identifies and describes the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) Fire hazard that Oregon faces. It also highlights previous plans, assessment tools, and resources that have been developed to identify, profile, and assess the vulnerability of risk from WUI — Fire events in Oregon.

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FIRE OVERVIEW:

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 Wildfires are a common and widespread natural hazard in Oregon. Fire is a critical component of the forest and rangeland ecosystems found in all portions of the state. Over 41 million acres of forest and rangeland in Oregon are susceptible to wildfire, which may occur during any month of the year, but usually occur between July and October. In addition to wildland/urban interface fires, Oregon experiences wildland fires that do not threaten structures, and also occasionally has prescribed fires. The principal type affecting Oregon communities is interface fire, which occurs where wildland and developed areas intermingle with both vegetation and structures combining to provide fuel. As more people have moved into wildland interface areas, the number of large wildfires impacting homes has escalated dramatically. The areas of highest risk are in central, southwest, and northeast Oregon. Fuel, slope, weather, and development are key components in wildfire hazard identification.

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SUMMARY OF OREGON'S VULNERABILITY TO WUI — FIRE :

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Fires, started by lightning strikes or human causes, occur often in Oregon’s forests and dry lands in Eastern Oregon.  Wildfires in Oregon vary depending on the types of vegetation found in the different regions throughout the state.  No region in Oregon is immune from wildfires.  Adding to the danger from wildfires are the approximately 240,000 homes worth about 6.5 billion dollars located within the wildland/urban interface.  These homes are situated among various types of vegetation vulnerable to fires.

Josephine County and the counties in the Central Oregon Region are at the greatest risk from wildfires because of their warmer, dryer climates and the extensive number of homes located within the wildland interface area.  The Central Oregon Region has more than 120,000 or 53 percent of its population living outside urban areas.

The Southwest Oregon Region is the other one particularly vulnerable to wildfires.  This region has more than 160,000 people or 48 percent of its population residing in the wildland interface.  In fact, the Biscuit Fire of 2002 occurred mostly in this region.  It was estimated to be one of Oregon’s largest wildfires. The Biscuit fire burned approximately across 500,000 acres.  Although this fire was very large in size and expensive to contain, the number of people affected was relatively small because most of the fire occurred within the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area.

Based upon local hazard analyses the counties most vulnerable to wildfires are: Baker, Benton, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Lake, Lane, Linn, Multnomah (Forest Park area), Sherman, Tillamook, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler.

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WUI - Fire STATE RESOURCES:

WUI - Fire INTERNET RESOURCES:

Oregon Community Wildfire Protection Plan Page Web page provided ongoing planning status for all Oregon Counties in addition to information on planning and wildfire risk reduction. Planning for Natural Hazards: Oregon Technical Resource Guide This document serves as a guide for Oregon communities to state, federal and Internet resources, as well as recommended publications for planning for wildfire hazards. The guide also explains laws related to wildfire risk and describes how communities can assess and reduce their risk. Oregon Department of Forestry Oregon Department of Forestry seeks to promote environmental, economic, and community sustainability through the responsible management of Oregon's forests. Oregon State Police - Office of State Fire Marshal The Office of the State Fire Marshall seeks to protect people, their property and the environment from fires and hazardous materials. Keep Oregon Green Keep Oregon Green strives to prevent human-caused wildfires by educating the public about preventative measures. Oregon Regional Risk Assessment      The state’s risk assessment is divided into eight geographic regions to provide a locally appropriate analysis of risk. Included are: a regional profile and maps, event history, and an analysis of the probability of and vulnerability to future events. While the hazard assessments do not have sections to specifically cover the threat from dust storm events, some dust storm events are documented in the windstorm sections of these assessments.  Oregon's Regional Hazards Viewer The interactive viewer visually displays perceived vulnerability per hazard for each county in Oregon, which allows communities and the state to compare the vulnerability of hazards across regions. WUI - Fire Chapter: State Plan The WUI - Fire chapter of the state Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan provides a characterization of the wui - fire hazard in Oregon. Additionally, the chapter describes current state programs and strategies, highlights successes in mitigation, and proposes short and long-term actions for future mitigation in the state.

FIREWISE Pacific Northwest: National Fire Plan National Fire Plan National Interagency Fire Center National Database of State and Local Wildfire Mitigation Projects

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Maintained by:
Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience
Community Service Center
University of Oregon
Last Updated 07/02/2007