Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab
Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific NorthwestWe 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.
225+
PNSN Seismic Monitoring Stations Across Oregon
66+
OHAZ Wildfire Detection Cameras Across Oregon
4.2Mil
Oregonians With Access to ShakeAlert EEW Alerts
2018
Year OHAZ Was Founded
25
OHAZ Staff
5
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.
News from the Oregon Hazards Lab
Bureau of Land Management – Lakeview District Expands Fire Detection Network
The Bureau of Land Management Lakeview District and its partners at the Oregon Hazards Lab at the University of Oregon have installed another new wildfire detection camera in Southeastern Oregon. The Green Mountain camera is part of a 1,000-plus-camera network hosted on the ALERTWest platform.
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
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.