Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab
Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific NorthwestWildfire Prevention, Research, and Policy
The University of Oregon is a national leader in wildfire prevention, research, and policy — driving innovative solutions to protect communities and restore landscapes.
226+
PNSN Seismic Monitoring Stations Across Oregon
68+
OHAZ Wildfire Detection Cameras Across Oregon
4.2Mil
Oregonians With Access to ShakeAlert EEW Alerts
2018
Year OHAZ Was Founded
19
OHAZ Staff
4
Student Researchers
The Oregon Hazards Lab is a program within the University of Oregon's Department of Earth Sciences. We currently partner in these efforts:
Mobile Deployment Units
The Oregon Hazards Lab is building out a stock of lightweight portable wildfire camera kits that public land management agencies can rapidly deploy to monitor new ignitions.
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.
We Are Oregon, Rising
Learn how the mission and vision of OHAZ fit within Oregon Rising, the University of Oregon’s strategic framework to accelerate its impact on our state, our nation, and the world.
News from the Oregon Hazards Lab
Quake Questions Answered: Building our Community’s Resilience
Join seismologists, emergency managers, and researchers to find out how Oregon is preparing for the Big One. Scientists from the Cascadia Research Earthquake Science Center and experts from the Oregon Hazards Lab will discuss what we know now, what we expect to learn, and what you can do to be prepared. This free event will be at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on October 17 from 6:30-8pm.
OHAZ Partners with RVCOG to Install 12 Cameras in Rogue Valley
The Oregon Hazards Lab at the University of Oregon and the Rogue Valley Council of Governments have received a Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy 12 additional wildfire cameras across the Rogue Valley region over three years. The project begins in summer 2024 and will be complete by summer 2027.
Earthquake Early Warning is Now Available in Canada
Earthquakes threaten the safety of people and infrastructure across geopolitical boundaries. For this reason, collaboration is key to safety in Canada and the United States, particularly in border areas. The U.S. Geological Survey and Natural Resources Canada have collaborated to share science, algorithms, real-time data, and public safety information between the nation’s distinct earthquake early warning systems.