Oregon homeowners residing in designated high-risk wildfire areas are now required to follow new building codes and implement vegetation reduction practices around their properties as part of the newly unveiled “wildfire hazard maps.” This initiative, announced on Tuesday, comes after a severe wildfire season last year and devastating firestorms in 2020 that resulted in nine fatalities and the destruction of thousands of homes.

The state-developed maps focus on the most fire-prone regions typically bordering forests or grasslands and affect approximately 6% of Oregon’s 1.9 million tax lots—a revision down from earlier estimates. These provisions will impact around 106,000 tax lots, aiming to enhance safety against the backdrop of increasingly frequent and severe wildfire seasons attributed to climate change.

Notably, the new regulations will not affect homeowners' insurance rates, adhering to Oregon law. Similar to Oregon’s efforts, states such as Washington and Colorado have moved to address wildfire risks, while (LA Times) reports new California laws requiring insurance coverage for high-risk areas.

Wildfire experts underline the significance of these regulations, asserting that improving defensible space and utilizing fire-resistant materials can enhance the likelihood of homes surviving potential fires. “If we manage our vegetation a certain way, if we build our structures out of certain materials, then we can increase the likelihood of that structure surviving,” stated Andy McEvoy, a faculty research assistant at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry.

The newly released maps depict wildfire hazard levels and the boundaries of the wildland-urban interface, crafted by Oregon State University scientists and the Oregon Department of Forestry. Under a state law enacted in 2023, these maps cannot be used by insurers to modify homeowner policies or increase premiums—a crucial safeguard for homeowners in vulnerable regions.

Oregon officials have been proactive in modifying the initial wildfire hazard maps following extensive public comment and community consultations. Changes included lowering the hazard status for irrigated farmland, acknowledging its reduced fire risk during critical seasons. Experts assert that continued adaptation and resilience planning are vital as regions throughout the U.S., including California, Arizona, and New Mexico, continue to face heightened wildfire threats.

The adoption of defensible space codes will be overseen by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, while the building codes will fall under the Building Codes Division. Implementation efforts will commence following an appeals process for the hazard maps, with notifications to affected landowners being issued by the Oregon Department of Forestry.

For further details, you can read the original article by the (Associated Press).