Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab
Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific Northwest
Support the Oregon Hazards Lab!
The Oregon State Legislature is considering a bill that would provide state funding to our program. This bill would help OHAZ continue monitoring natural disasters and delivering life-saving alerts to Oregonians.
223+
Seismic Monitoring Stations
63+
Wildfire Detection Cameras
$22M+
Funding Since 2020
2018
Year OHAZ Was Founded
28
OHAZ Staff
8
Student Researchers
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 monitor 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.
Wildfire Smoke Sensors
As part of a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, we deployed 30 smoke sensors across Western Oregon in 2023 and tested 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.
News from the Oregon Hazards Lab
Before the Shaking Starts: UO Professor Investigates Responses to Earthquake Early Warning Alerts
An alert from the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System can buy you life-saving seconds to protect yourself before dangerous shaking arrives. But in Oregon, where most earthquakes are minor enough to go unnoticed, how well-prepared are people to make the most of these precious seconds? University of Oregon research will improve families’ effectiveness at responding to earthquake early-warning alerts.
Oregon Hazards Lab Newsletter – March 2025
The March 2025 Oregon Hazards Lab newsletter is here! We share the impacts of wildfire cameras on the Los Angeles Fires, recap ShakeAlert performance during the December offshore Cape Mendocino earthquake, and share our plans for the 2025 field season. We also share more information about HB 3219, proposed state legislation that would make OHAZ a state program, and how you can advocate for our work with your state representative!
Advocate for OHAZ By Contacting Your State Legislators in Support of House Bill 3219
The Oregon State Legislature is considering a bill that would establish OHAZ as a state program. If passed, House Bill 3219 would provide stable, long-term funding so OHAZ can continue its vital work protecting communities from natural disasters. By supporting this bill, state legislators can help strengthen Oregon’s resilience against earthquakes and wildfires. Urge your state representatives to vote in favor of House Bill 3219.