Dave Hunnicutt
Victory for Property Owners: Governor Signs SB 83, Repealing Wildfire Hazard Map
Governor Tina Kotek has signed Senate Bill 83, officially repealing Oregon’s controversial Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map and the associated mandates that came with it. This marks a major victory for property owners across the state who have long voiced concerns about the map’s flawed rollout and legal overreach.
The map, originally implemented under SB 762 (2021), imposed sweeping requirements on thousands of property owners— often without proper notice or due process. In response, the Oregon Property Owners Association Legal Center filed a lawsuit in Harney County Circuit Court earlier this year, challenging the map’s legality and demanding its invalidation. The lawsuit was designed as a backstop in case legislative efforts failed.
With SB 83 now signed into law, OPOA will move to dismiss the lawsuit, having achieved the core objective: eliminating the map and restoring fairness to wildfire policy.
What SB 83 Does:
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Repeals the wildfire hazard map and related building code and defensible space mandates
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Voids all previous hazard designations
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Removes requirement to disclose WUI designation on property disclosures
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Directs the State Fire Marshal to develop a model defensible space code that can choose to adopt or not
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Allows local governments to lead efforts on creating safety standards that fit their communities
What Comes Next: Insurance Concerns Remain
While SB 83 repeals the map and its regulatory consequences, concerns about insurance remain front and center. Many property owners have reported being dropped from coverage or facing premium hikes due to wildfire risk. Although Oregon law now prohibits insurers from using the state’s wildfire hazard map to make coverage decisions, insurance companies rely on their own proprietary risk models, which can still impact rural homeowners.
OPOA is actively working to address these insurance challenges—engaging with regulators, insurers, and legislators to ensure that property owners are treated fairly and that wildfire resilience efforts don’t become a backdoor to denying coverage.
We will continue to advocate for transparency, accountability, and practical solutions that protect both property rights and public safety.
Stay tuned for updates—and thank you to everyone who stood up and made their voices heard.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not represent the opinions or positions of any party represented by the OPOA Legal Center on any particular matter.