The Josephine County Board of Commissioners hosted a Wildfire Hazard Map Town Hall from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 30th, at the Josephine County Fairgrounds Pavilion. Traffic backed up on Redwood Highway near the entrance to the Fairgrounds, and the main parking lots near the Pavilion and Commercial buildings were nearly full. A line to enter the Pavilion stretched from the building to the Commercial Building.
As the crowd continued to grow, additional chairs were brought in, but by the start of the meeting, approximately 100 people were left standing in the back because all the seats had been taken. This large turnout reflects the widespread concern in Josephine County, where most property owners living outside the city limits of Grants Pass recently received certified letters from the Oregon Department of Forestry. These letters notified them that their properties had been designated as high-risk zones according to the newly released statewide wildfire hazard map. The map was created as part of Senate Bill 762, passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2021 and amended in 2023 after significant public outcry over the initial version.
Being classified in a high-risk zone means property owners may face severe financial consequences if they fail to create defensible space around their homes. They could be fined and even face liens on their property for unpaid fines. Additionally, the law mandates that homeowners adhere to strict, costly codes when renovating or building new structures. New legislative bills have been introduced this year that may further restrict new building projects or limit property expansions in high wildfire hazard zones.
Unless you live in the heart of Grants Pass or Cave Junction, or just west of Grants Pass near the Rogue River or Applegate River, your property has likely been designated as high-risk. Even properties within city limits, particularly those near the “wildland-urban interface,” have been affected.
Josephine County is one of the hardest-hit counties in Oregon, with a large percentage of properties designated as high risk. This new legislation could have far-reaching effects on the local economy, increasing insurance rates, reducing property values, and limiting property rights throughout the region.
Many residents at the Town Hall expressed frustration with Senate Bill 762, calling it a punitive approach with few benefits. “This legislation is all costs and no rewards,” one attendee remarked. “It’s all sticks and no carrots.” The crowd responded enthusiastically when Commissioner Ron Smith suggested that the community fight back against the bill. Smith has been a vocal critic of the legislation, even before his election as a County Commissioner, and now, with so many people recently receiving these letters, the community is fired up and ready to take action.
Senator Jeff Golden and Representative Pam Marsh, both from the Ashland area, championed SB 762 after the Almeda Fire in 2020, which devastated Phoenix, Talent, and parts of Ashland. Ironically, some of the areas most affected by the Almeda Fire have not been designated as high-risk zones under the new map.
Speakers at the Town Hall presented numerous technical criticisms of the hazard map and raised a variety of legitimate legal and technical concerns. A land-use consultant outlined several flaws in the map’s methodology, while a statistician revealed that the fire risk probabilities were overstated by 43% based on actual historical data. The crowd cheered when it was noted that Josephine County, as a local government, could appeal the hazard designations.
The Q&A session that followed was difficult to hear due to the room’s size and inadequate sound equipment. However, one comment indicated that lawyers were exploring the possibility of a class-action lawsuit.
The key takeaway from the meeting was the need for property owners to file appeals regarding their wildfire hazard designations. If you received a certified letter, you were provided with instructions on how to file an appeal. However, any property owner in Oregon can file an appeal, not just those designated as high-risk. Appeal forms and more information can be found at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/wildfire-hazard.aspx.
In full disclosure, I have a personal stake in this issue, as I received one of the certified letters for my own property. What I found most valuable at the Town Hall was the information provided on how to file an appeal. Since the hazard designations were based on broad assumptions rather than on-the-ground conditions, property owners cannot appeal based solely on the specifics of their individual properties. However, a number of factual points were shared that can be used to support an appeal.
I urge everyone in Josephine County, Jackson County, and throughout Oregon to join me in filing appeals against these wildfire hazard designations. Make sure to submit your appeal by March 7th to ensure your voice is heard.
Key Facts and Suggested Language for Appeals:
- The data used to create hazard zones is not available at the property level in a clear, comprehensible format, as required by state law. I was unable to find the data that led to my individual property being designated as high-risk.
- The software program used to access the data is not public domain.
- The data used for mapping and hazard designations is theoretical and not verified by actual on-the-ground conditions.
- The fire risk values are inflated. According to a statistician at the Town Hall, the mapping methodology overstates fire probabilities by 43% based on historical data.
- Data is not shown at the tax lot level.
- The Oregon Department of Forestry did not coordinate with local agencies, including counties, when creating this map, as required by law. Josephine County was not consulted in the creation of the map and hazard designations.
- The information used to create the map is not entirely accurate.
- The Wildfire Hazard values cannot be verified.
- We are already seeing significant increases in property insurance rates, which could be partly attributed to this hazard mapping process. Some residents are struggling to secure insurance, which is negatively impacting property values in Josephine County without providing any tangible benefits.
- The fines and penalties associated with the new rules are too severe. Instead of mandating expensive and burdensome requirements, the state should offer incentives for property owners to harden their properties, such as tax credits or expanded funding for programs like Firewise.
Let’s work together to challenge this flawed map and protect our community.
