People became aware of SB 762 when they received a letter from the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) notifying individual property owners that their property was shown on a Wildfire Risk map as being designated as High or Extreme Risk for Wildfire. ODF scheduled a series of public meetings. The first meeting was to take place in Grants Pass. The meeting was cancelled at the last minute with an explanation that there were threats to staff. The scheduled meeting in Medford on the next day was changed to a Zoom meeting. Over 1200 signed up to participate with more than 600 wishing to say something. The Chief sponsor of the legislation, Senator Jeff Golden from Ashland and various state agencies explained the provisions of the bill with the first matter being the Wildfire Risk Map. When the public was allowed to speak, the frustration was evident noting many mistakes on the map and notification of property insurance being increased or cancelled. As a result of the push back from the public and obvious errors in the map, the map was withdrawn for revision and a revised draft map is scheduled for release March 1, 2023. A final map is scheduled for release at the end of October 2023. Eleven State Agencies are continuing with tasks they are assigned to include Defensible Space regulations, Building Code revisions, utility company maintenance and modification plans among others. The Wildfire Program in SB 762 has not stopped. If changes or repeal are to be accomplished, push back must happen now.
SB 762 was signed into law on July 19, 2021 as an emergency. The new law adopted numerous provisions relating to Wildfire to include a map of all lots in Oregon and designating risk of fire in five categories. Properties in the top two risk categories, High and Extreme, require additional rules to create Defensible Space around structures and Harden Structures to resist fires. Many other requirements and programs are a part of this bill.
For those of you that want to find more details about background for SB 762, the initial study from 2019 is a 110 page report found at:
https://www.oregon.gov/gov/policies/Documents/110819_wildfirecouncilreport.pdf
In the 2021 Legislative Session SB 762 was passed by the Senate with some Republicans in opposition. The bill was sent to the house and again passed with some Republican opposition. Not all Republicans were against the law. The bill was signed by the governor as an emergency effective immediately on passage on July 19, 2021.
There are 66 Sections in the bill with the Sections that most affect property owners in Section 1-27. The text of the full bill is at:
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB762/Enrolled
We will separate the individual tasks that affect property and post updates as available. We also will post each counties efforts to address this bill. A place for questions will be added along with contact information and links to additional documents related to the bill.