Union County officials support map revision decision

Aug. 8—LA GRANDE — The Oregon Department of Forestry's decision to pull back and revise its wildfire risk map was a wise move, according to a number of Union County officials.

"It was a step which had to be taken. They needed to start over again," said Donna Beverage, a member of the Union County Board of Commissioners, of the decision announced on Thursday, Aug. 4.

Created with help from Oregon State University, the Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer map was part of a state push to protect Oregonians against wildfires. The map showed the wildfire risk of 2 million tax lots across the state, categorizing them in five categories: no, low, moderate, high or extreme risk. About 80,000 property owners were found to be in high or extreme risk areas, and received letters from the Forestry Department telling them that they could be subject to fire-resistant building codes that are being developed.

The map created backlash during its brief existence. Many people argued that it incorrectly listed homeowners in high risk areas when they may not have been in part because they were not given credit for taking steps to make their homes fire resistant. Others complained that the map resulted in insurance companies raising premiums significantly and lowering property value.

Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, said the rollout of the map and ensuing letters to property owners about fire risk was not handled well. This not only put the cart before the horse, he said, it raised the worries of lots of people.

"My phone was ringing off the hook, and the emails," Hansell said, after the state put the map online. Lawmakers were aware the state was working on the map, he said, but the process did not include public input that he was aware of.

Union County Commissioner Paul Anderes is glad the decision to revise the map was made.

"I'm glad that they are going to revisit it," he said.

The commissioner said Union County has received assurances from the state that local input will be taken the second-time around.

Anderes said that little if any local input was taken when the first risk map was being created.

Anderes said he hopes that Union County Planner Scott Hartell and Emergency Service Manager Nick Vora will be given an opportunity to be involved in the process of creating the Union County portion of the map. Anderes said their firsthand understanding of the fire risk in Union County and land-use planning would be a big help in the map creation process.

The map was part of a $220 million bill — Senate Bill 762 — passed last year to prepare Oregon for worsening, climate change-fueled wildfires.

"The bill was supposed to be helpful but it has not been so far," said Union County Commissioner Matt Scarfo, who added the intent of SB 762 was to reduce fire risk but it has not so far had that impact.

"Raising insurance rates and lowering property values does not reduce fire risk," he said.

Vora said the intent of the bill was good, but the problems it has caused were not expected.

"There have been unintended consequences," he said.

Oregon State Forester Cal Mukumoto said in a statement his agency got specific feedback from 2,000 residents about problems with the risk designations that were assigned by the Oregon Explorer project and said climate scientists would refine the map and reissue a new version at a later date.

"While we met the bill's initial deadline for delivering on the map, there wasn't enough time to allow for the type of local outreach and engagement that people wanted, needed and deserved," Oregon State Forester Cal Mukumoto said in a statement.

"We know how important it is to get this right."

The state forestry department yanked the wildfire risk map Thursday, Aug. 4, five weeks after publishing it. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, the move came after outcry from Republican state lawmakers and residents in southern and Eastern Oregon who said the roll out of the map was clumsy and led to people losing their property insurance or having premiums doubled.

They said the Oregon Department of Forestry was ill-equipped to handle the impacts of the map in the middle of fire season.