Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab
Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific Northwest
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.
Willamette Watershed Project
The Oregon Hazards Lab is developing resilient communications infrastructure for the Santiam, Sisters, and McKenzie River corridors that will support a natural disaster monitoring and alerting network.
News from the Oregon Hazards Lab
University of Oregon Participates in ShakeOut Earthquake Safety Drill
The University of Oregon participated in the Great Oregon ShakeOut by sending a notification to students and employees encouraging them to Drop, Cover, Hold On. UO also hosted a lecture about earthquake safety and preparedness that featured Oregon Hazards Lab employees.
ShakeOut Earthquake Drill is a Dry Run for “The Big One”
The University of Oregon is participating in the annual Great Oregon ShakeOut on October 19. To prepare for “The Big One” on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, UO recommends that all students and employees take part in the earthquake safety drill and sign up for the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System.
AI-Enabled Wildfire Smoke Detectors Tested In Oregon
The Oregon Hazards Lab is installing cutting-edge smart sensors that can sniff out wildfires as they emerge. The Department of Homeland Security enlisted the lab to install wildfire detection sensors at 15 locations in Western Oregon to evaluate their effectiveness.