News from the Oregon Hazards Lab

The Oregon Hazards Lab is partnering with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate to install two types of wildfire smoke detection sensors in the Willamette Valley. The goal is to test and compare sensor performance to alerts generated by the lab’s wildfire detection camera system.

In this first edition of the Oregon Hazards Lab’s quarterly newsletter, we share updates about wildfire detection cameras and earthquake monitoring networks, research projects, and partnerships with critical infrastructure. Please contact us at ohaz@uoregon.edu if you would like to subscribe.

The Bureau of Land Management and the Oregon Hazards Lab are together developing the most innovative wildfire detection camera network in the United States. The Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land Management awarded the University of Oregon $718,346 in Fiscal Year 2022 to install cameras across Eastern Oregon, and has programmed $475,000 for the wildfire cameras in Fiscal Year 2023.

Medford 549C School District is now the first school district in Oregon to use ShakeAlert earthquake early warning technology. Learn more about the role the Oregon Hazards Lab plays in the ShakeAlert System and how we can help install earthquake early warning technology in your school.

The Crestview wildfire detection camera is the 32nd in Oregon and the first one in Eugene. It provides a clear view of Eugene and the University of Oregon campus. And the microwave dishes mounted alongside the camera are strategically positioned to transmit signals from other fire detection cameras in the region.

The Oregon Hazards Lab received an award at the 2022 Oregon Connection Conference, which honors individuals and organizations who have positively impacted telecommunications development in Oregon.