LOC News
Bill Would Reduce Wildfire Risk at the Local Level
Senate Bill 83 be the vehicle for reshaping key elements of SB 762 from the 2021 session, which established the state's wildfire policy.
If SB 83 advances, cities and counties will have the authority to adopt ordinances following a model code for defensible space and home hardening that the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) will establish. This local authority will allow cities to make decisions, which will then be approved by the OSFM. The home hardening standards are based on R 327 guidelines, which are in Oregon’s Residential Specialty Code. These local requirements can also include defensible space standards, which OSFM will need to develop but likely will follow the guidelines in place in the Firewise program.
For the last few years, a principal component of SB 762 has been developing a wildfire risk/hazard map to apply across the landscape in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Governor Kotek withdrew these maps from use earlier this year, and the work during the session has focused on an alternative approach for implementation. The bill’s -7 amendment combines a series of elements, including a repeal of the wildfire maps and a statewide enforcement structure for home hardening and defensible space.
Contact: Jim McCauley, Legislative Director jmccauley@orcities.org
Last Updated 4/4/25