Oregon Issues Wildfire Risk Map

After homeowners received letters assessing their property’s fire risk, questions remain about the next steps in building fire resilience.

1 minute read

July 28, 2022, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Color-coded map showing wildfire risk in Oregon

Oregon Explorer / Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer

A new wildfire risk map has drawn questions from Oregon homeowners, reports Tiffany Olin for KTVL. Olin writes, “people across Southern Oregon have received letters in the mail from the Department of Forestry classifying their property as high or extreme risk and within the wildland-urban interface.” But the letters have raised questions since they don’t indicate how homeowners should respond. Derek Gasperini, Public Affairs Officer for Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), said for now, homeowners just need to be aware of the risk to their home. 

According to the article, “The Oregon State Fire Marshal will be passing defensible space codes and other regulations by December of this year that are expected to go into effect by April of 2023.” Gasperini said grants will be available to help homeowners pay for defensible space upgrades, which will be required as part of Senate Bill 762, “passed as a response to the 2020 Labor Day fires across the state.”

Planetizen recently covered a proposal to build a community-wide fire perimeter in Paradise, California. The proposal is in part an acknowledgement that fire protection measures can be expensive or impractical for renters, mobile home owners, and other residents in diverse housing types.

Monday, July 25, 2022 in KTVL

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 4, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

Group of five people sitting on blanket in park on sunny day having picnic.

Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment

Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.

June 10 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Close-up on older woman holding contented looking cat on her lap.

Porches, Pets, and the People We Grow Old With

Neighborhood connections and animal companions matter to aging with dignity, and how we build can support them. Here’s a human-scale proposal for aging in place.

June 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Concrete staircase next to elevator in bright building with large windows.

Single-Stair Design Contest Envisions Human-Scale Buildings

Single-stair building construction is having a resurgence in the United States, where, for the last several decades, zoning codes have required more than one staircase in multi-story housing developments.

June 10 - Congress For New Urbanism

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.