Welcome to the Oregon Hazards Lab

Using Science, Technology, and Community Engagement to Understand, Detect, and Mitigate Multi-Hazards within the Pacific Northwest

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.

OHAZ and Oregon Rising

223+

PNSN Seismic Monitoring Stations Across Oregon

63+

OHAZ Wildfire Detection Cameras Across Oregon

4.2Mil

Oregonians With Access to ShakeAlert EEW Alerts

2018

Year OHAZ Was Founded

26

OHAZ Staff

7

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:

A wildfire detection camera is mounted on Butler Butte in Southwest Oregon with views of forested mountains.

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.

A young man and a young woman attach a sensor to a piece of seismic monitoring equipment.

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.

illustrated mural depicts natural disaster monitoring equipment on a mountainous coast

News from the Oregon Hazards Lab

ShakeOut Earthquake Drill is a Dry Run for “The Big One”

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

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.

Oregon Hazards Lab Newsletter – August 2023

Oregon Hazards Lab Newsletter – August 2023

In our third edition of our quarterly newsletter, we share about meetings with federal and state representatives, recent installations of wildfire prevention sensors, and new earthquake preparedness and awareness resources. Contact us at ohaz@uoregon.edu if you would like to subscribe.