Oregon Launches Wildfire Prevention Initiative with Insurance Industry Partner
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office has partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to help homeowners protect their properties from wildfires and potentially reduce their insurance premiums. The collaboration, announced by State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple and IBHS CEO Roy Wright, introduces the ‘Wildfire Prepared’ certification program to Oregon.
How the ‘Wildfire Prepared’ Program Works
The program, already available in California, offers two certification options for single-family homes three stories or less: one for retrofitting older homes and another for building new homes to withstand wildfires. To qualify, homeowners must clear a 5-foot buffer around their homes and decks of any combustible materials, including trees, branches, mulch, and certain types of fencing. After completing the required work, homeowners submit an application with photos, which are reviewed by IBHS inspectors. A third-party inspector then verifies the work on-site.
The certification must be renewed every three years, with annual photo submissions to maintain compliance. Governor Tina Kotek emphasized that this initiative aims to ensure Oregonians can maintain property insurance despite the growing wildfire risk. ‘We need to have insurance for our homeowners,’ she stated, noting that Oregon’s approach differs from California’s, where insurance companies are required to offer discounts for wildfire mitigation work.
Potential Impact on Insurance Premiums
Oregon’s Insurance Commissioner Andrew Stolfi believes that the certification could lead to more affordable insurance rates as insurers take into account the reduced wildfire risk. ‘When consumers and the state invest in reducing wildfire risk, insurers should reflect that progress in rating and underwriting,’ he said. However, the cost of participating in the program and implementing the required home hardening measures may be a challenge for some homeowners. The state has provided some funding in the past, such as a $250 grant program for defensible space landscaping, but more financial support may be needed.
Governor Kotek remains committed to securing additional funding to help homeowners afford the necessary measures. ‘I’m going to continue to fight for dedicated dollars to help individual homeowners and communities protect themselves from wildfires,’ she said. The partnership between the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and IBHS also includes research collaboration, educational opportunities, and post-wildfire analysis to further enhance wildfire preparedness in Oregon.
