House OKs bill to expand forest fire damage assessments

The Oregon House on Monday unanimously passed House Bill 2501, legislation that sponsors say will allow for the reporting or cataloging of forest fire damage, including that of private property loss, for fires of 1,000 acres or more.

By including these losses, lawmakers say HB 2501 will strengthen forest fire damage reports and provide more accurate damage assessments to both state agencies and the public.

“The damage caused to our state by forest fires every year is significant and affects homeowners and landowners, as well as our forests, air quality and wildlife,” said state Rep. Gail Whitsett (R-Klamath Falls), the chief sponsor of HB 2501.

“By strengthening our forest fire assessments to account for actual losses that were previously left out, Oregon can now take steps to better prepare for fire season and, most importantly, better protect Oregonians,” Whitsett said.

HB 2501 requires that the State Forester’s annual report to the Emergency Board include private property loss information for fires of 1,000 acres. It directs the State Forester to provide information regarding the resulting losses on private lands of timber, buildings, fencing and livestock, and of gazing land capacity if the land is expected to be unavailable for two or more grazing seasons.

According to Sen. Doug Whitsett (R-Klamath Falls), who testified before the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources as a sponsor of the legislation, current wildfire damage assessment reports do not identify:

The quantified value of timber incinerated, killed or otherwise damaged
The quantified value of forage incinerated, killed or otherwise damaged
The value of real estate is that is often reduced in the aftermath of a wildfire
The value of livestock lost or otherwise damaged
The death loss or otherwise damage among wildlife, birds and fish during and in the aftermath of a wildfire
The long-term fire-caused erosion and ash pollution damages to watersheds
The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by wildfires

Last year’s fire season included several large-scale fires, including the Two Bulls, Bryant, Moccasin Hill, White River, Haystack Complex, Salt Creek and Rowena fires.

According to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), 1,119 fires consumed 52,882 acres under ODF protection, more than double the 10-year average of acres burned. ODF’s large-fire suppression costs also hit $75.6 million.

House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) joined Rep. Whitsett and Senator Whitsett as a sponsor of the legislation.