Wildfire hazard mitigation - SB 762 implementation

Senate Bill (SB) 762 (2021) created a statewide approach to a wide range of wildfire mitigation measures. The legislature directed the Building Codes Division to adopt fire hardening building code standards, based on existing wildfire mitigation provisions, that could be applied to areas of the state mapped as extreme or high risk and that are in the wildland urban interface.

View the division's updated bulletin for general information

About the changes

Fire hardening building code standards

Fire hardening refers to using building materials and practices that can reduce the risk of ignition of a home by embers from wildfires. See the informational bulletin linked above for some examples of fire hardening materials.
The fire hazard mitigation (fire hardening) standards that the division is in the process of adopting will be based on the existing wildfire mitigation provisions in Section R327 of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC).
The extreme and high risk areas of the state and the wildland urban interface will be mapped out on the Oregon Wildfire Risk Map. See more information about the map below.

What homeowners need to know

If you are in the high or extreme risk class and in the wildland urban interface:

No action is required at this time.
Building code standards do not apply retroactively. They only apply to an existing home if you are replacing a covered item.
The effective date of the new code requirements will be based on when the wildfire risk map is available. If you are replacing your roof or siding, doing an addition to your home, or constructing a new home, you would need to use fire hardening materials for any permit application submitted after the effective date of the new code requirements.
You are not required to change materials for partial repairs of your roof or siding.

If you are not in the high or extreme risk class or outside of the wildland urban interface:

Nothing is required related to home hardening, even after the effective date of the new code amendments.
If you want to make your home more fire resilient, view this How Fire Hardening Works guide to learn more about the things you can do to improve your homes resistance to wildfire.

If you have questions about the Oregon Wildfire Risk Map, the Oregon Department of Forestry has temporarily withdrawn the wildfire risk map, released June 30, for further refinement. For more information about the map or the risk classification of a property visit the ODF website.

The division will continue to update this page with any related impacts on our implementation of the bill as they become available.

If you have questions about the rules for trees, bushes, and other vegetation around your building, also known as “defensible space" you can visit the Oregon State Fire Marshal's page.

Fire hazard mitigation standards

To implement Senate Bill (SB) 762, the division is developing rules that will amend the 2021 ORSC Section R327 to apply to all new dwellings and the accessory structures of dwellings in extreme and high wildfire risk classes in the wildland-urban interface and to extend the standards to apply to existing dwellings that are replacing exterior elements of the structure.

Timeline for adopting amendments

Fire hardening resources

BCD - SB 762 general information - updated
How Fire Hardening Works guide

Agencies implementing SB 762

Oregon Department of Forestry
Oregon wildfire risk map

Office of State Fire Marshal
Oregon Defensible Space Code

Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
Land-use updates

Wildfire hazard mitigation mapping tool

As the Oregon Department of Forestry is overseeing the development and maintenance of a comprehensive statewide map of wildfire risk that will display the five wildfire risk classes: extreme, high, moderate, low and no risk; the division is working on an interactive tool to work in conjunction with the Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer, that will display wildfire hazard mitigation standards covered in Section R327 of the ORSC. This tool will also support the future listing of snow, seismic, and wind design criteria at the property level.

Developments in the process will be posted here as they become available.