Public Hearings on Statewide Wildfire Risk Map, April 19

SALEM, Ore.—Public hearings are scheduled April 19–21 to gather feedback on a rules package establishing the identification criteria for the wildland-urban interface and development of a statewide wildfire risk map, as required by Senate Bill 762 (2021). The Board of Forestry approved the public hearing process for the proposed rule package, Oregon Administrative Rules 629-044-1000 to 629-044-1041 and 629-045-1025, during their March 9 meeting. See the notice of proposed rulemaking for draft rule language. The department consulted a Rulemaking Advisory Committee comprised of 26 members representing a wide variety of stakeholder interests while drafting the proposed rules. The rules will be used by Oregon State University to develop and maintain the statewide wildfire risk map, which includes assigning one of five risk classes to individual properties. The rules establish the notification process to property owners and how to appeal assignment of a risk classification. Comment can be made at any of the virtual public meetings below: Apr. 19, 2022, 9 a.m., Zoom meeting; Apr. 20, 2022, 2 p.m., Zoom meeting; Apr. 21, 2022, 7 p.m., Zoom meeting Comments can also be sent to sb762.rulemaking@oregon.gov until 5 p.m. on May 2.