News from the Oregon Hazards Lab

The urgency of climate change can’t be overstated. Hear from Tykeson Dean of Arts and Sciences Dean Chris Poulsen—who’s also a climatologist whose work is focused on understanding the planet’s climate variability from the deep geologic past to the future—about how the College of Arts and Sciences is responding to climate change.

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.

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!

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.

Sometimes wildfires spark far from the nearest wildfire camera, making it hard for firefighters to monitor the blaze. To help solve this challenge, the Oregon Hazards Lab is designing a new mobile camera kit that can be rapidly deployed in response to new ignitions. This project was made possible by a donation from the Roundhouse Foundation.

On January 26, 1700, a massive earthquake erupted along the Cascadia Subduction Zone off the West Coast of the United States. It’s now 325 years later, and earthquake scientists say we’re overdue for another similarly large quake to hit the Pacific Northwest. At the University of Oregon, researchers are working from many angles to make sure people across the Cascadia region are as prepared as possible.