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’s Wildfire Camera Network Continues to Grow
The frequency and severity of wildfires are rising, driven by climate change, decades of fire suppression, and growth in the wildland-urban interface. But a lab at the University of Oregon has deployed a wildfire intelligence platform that gives counties new tools to spot and track wildfires.
What To Do in a Disaster: Everything You Need to Know if a Big Earthquake Hits Oregon
At two earthquake preparedness events associated with the Great Oregon ShakeOut, experts from the Oregon Hazards Lab, the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center, and local and state governments shared how Oregonians can prepare for future earthquakes.
ShakeOut Events at University of Oregon Provide Opportunities to Prepare for the “Big One”
The University of Oregon will participate in the annual Great Oregon ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 17, and is recommending all employees and students take part in the earthquake safety drill at 2:17 p.m. Safety and Risk Services, the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center and the Oregon Hazards Lab are also hosting two events to raise awareness of earthquake science and preparedness.