What Will It Take To Protect Oregon Homes From Wildfires?

The Oregon Legislature is looking at how homeowners can maintain their insurance in high fire risk areas.  Kenton Brine, with the Northwest Insurance Council, said disaster losses have skyrocketed for insurance companies.

"Losses related to natural disasters, just natural disasters, were $168 billion in 2023 and $182 billion in 2024."

In California and some parts of Oregon, insurance companies have stopped offering plans, due to the risk.  Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz Temple said action is needed on a broad level to reduce risk.

"That's going to take social acceptance of those actions at the local level to get there.  It's going to take the state investing in mitigation and defensible space, and education," she noted.

Oregon is now working with insurance companies to develop solutions that will maintain insurance and offer property owners incentive to reduce risk.

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