Oregon Senate Committee Votes to Eliminate Wildfire Hazard Map

Salem, Oregon- The Oregon Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire voted unanimously today to repeal the state’s wildfire hazard map originally created under Senate Bill 762 in 2021. The committee also approved the removal of property maintenance requirements tied to areas identified as high-risk on the map.

The measure, advanced through Senate Bill 83, marks a significant policy shift following public criticism of the map and its implications for property owners.

“Today is a milestone in our wildfire journey. As a whole, SB 762 programs have great support across the state, but the hazard map, which flunked the basic common-sense test for so many property owners, had Oregonians angry and divided,” said Committee Chair Jeff Golden (D – Ashland). “Repealing the map clears the way to good collaborative programs on the ground. Now the challenge is to fund them at the levels we need.”

Senate Bill 83 will now proceed to the full Senate for consideration.