Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab

Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific Northwest

The sun sets behind a mountaintop seismic monitoring station.

The Oregon Hazards Lab is a research lab within the University of Oregon's Department of Earth Sciences. We currently partner in these efforts:

Pacific Northwest Seismic Network

Along with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington, we monitoring ground motion to better understand earthquake and volcano hazards and their impacts on communities in Oregon and Washington.

ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System

Since 2014, the Oregon Hazards Lab has been an instrumental partner in building and promoting the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake early warning system.

Wildfire Detection Cameras

With hundreds of mountaintop cameras installed throughout the western United States, this high-speed wildfire detection network provides firefighters and first responders a new way to spot and track wildfires.

A young man and a young woman attach a sensor to a piece of seismic monitoring equipment.

Wildfire Smoke Sensors

As part of our partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, we are deploying 30 smoke sensors across Western Oregon and testing their effectiveness at detecting emerging wildfires.

Sage Continuum

We are building a continent-spanning network of smart sensors to improve the flow of information between scientists and the natural world.

Willamette Watershed Project

The Oregon Hazards Lab is developing resilient communications infrastructure for the Santiam, Sisters, and McKenzie River corridors that will support a natural disaster monitoring and alerting network.

illustrated mural depicts natural disaster monitoring equipment on a mountainous coast

Oregon Hazards Lab by the Numbers

219

ShakeAlert Seismic Stations

45

Wildfire Detection Cameras

30

Wildfire Smoke Sensors

2018

Year OHAZ Was Founded

27

Full-Time Staff

7

Student Researchers

News from the Oregon Hazards Lab

ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning and School Safety Workshop

ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning and School Safety Workshop

The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System can detect earthquakes so quickly that alerts can be delivered to schools before they feel shaking. ShakeAlert can be integrated into school paging systems to deliver life-saving alerts to students and teachers. Attend this free virtual workshop to learn how ShakeAlert can be used in your school.

ShakeAlert Celebrates Three Years of Offering Lifesaving Alerts to Oregonians

ShakeAlert Celebrates Three Years of Offering Lifesaving Alerts to Oregonians

March 11 marks three years since the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System went live in Oregon. ShakeAlert can save lives and reduce injuries by giving people seconds to take protective action, such as Drop, Cover and Hold On, or to move away from hazardous areas if they feel shaking or get an alert.