Under Senate Bill 762, the Office of State Fire Marshal is mandated to adopt a statewide minimum defensible space code. The OSFM will use its standing code considerations, development, and adoption process. Agencies, interest groups, and individuals are welcome to provide inputs during the adoption process. The OSFM and stakeholders will go through the code adoption process using the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code model language, specifically utilizing sections 603 and 604 per the Senate Bill762 mandate. Upon adopting the new Oregon Defensible Space Code, the OSFM will re-evaluate every three (3) years and follow the same systematic policies and practices currently in place for the Oregon Fire Code.
In the future, the collaboratively developed code will apply to lands that meet the definition of the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The rules develop the definition of the WUI, define the criteria associated with the definition, and develop a comprehensive statewide map that identifies the wildland-urban interface and risk levels is being discussed in a Rules Advisory Committee facilitated by the Oregon Department of Forestry. The OSFM is engaged with the Rule Advisory Committees (RAC).