For Oregon property owners, the Oregon Department of Forestry officially adopted new wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps on January 7, 2025. To check a property’s designations and view the maps, go to Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer.
All property owners within the “high” hazard zone and wildland-urban interface were supposed to have been mailed information from the Oregon Department of Forestry regarding the implications of these designations, and how a property owner may appeal their designation. The appeal form is also available at Wildfire Hazard Classification and WUI Appeal Form.
The implications for property owners mapped within both the high-hazard and wildland-urban interface is that they will be required to comply with defensible space regulations and fire-hardening standards if they build or remodel structures. This may be cost-prohibitive for some owners and affect the resale value of many properties throughout the state, among other potential consequences.
The deadline to appeal is March 10, 2025. Property owners who do not file an appeal cannot challenge their designation until the maps are revised again in 2030. Bills currently before the State Legislature would potentially revise or repeal the maps entirely, and Governor Tina Kotek has ordered that no hearings on appeals of map designations are to be held until the current legislative session ends. Still, if a property owner has an issue with their designation on the wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps, the deadline to appeal is March 10, 2025 and the option may not be available for another five years.
We will continue to monitor developments on this issue.
