On Friday in Salem, state lawmakers were told the University of Oregon’s Hazards Lab may have to shut down 33 wildfire-detection cameras unless the state steps in with emergency cash. Officials warned that losing those sites would shrink Oregon’s early-detection safety net at the very moment dry conditions and low snowpack have fire managers bracing for a volatile season.
According to KGW, Oregon Hazards Lab director Leland O’Driscoll told a legislative panel the lab needs at least $2 million just to keep the current camera network running and could be forced to disconnect about 33 locations. He said the lab is seeking between $2 million and $4 million to sustain operations through fiscal 2027 and to keep public access to the live camera feeds intact.
What the network covers
The Hazards Lab’s website reports it operated 70 wildfire cameras across Oregon as of October 2025, according to the Oregon Hazards Lab. Those cameras feed live images into the ALERTWest platform, forming an integrated system that university communications describe as one of the largest public-facing wildfire camera networks in the western United States. Reporting from the University of Oregon traces how that network grew into its current footprint.
Lawmakers and agencies push back
Some legislators made it clear they were not comfortable watching that footprint shrink. “To me, this is alarming,” Rep. Nancy Nathanson told reporters, in comments highlighted by KGW. She was not alone.
Officials from the Oregon Department of Forestry told lawmakers the cameras are a crucial tool for spotting small fires before they explode into major incidents. Catching those starts early can save lives and prevent millions of dollars in property damage, according to testimony documented by KLCC.
Costs, timing and the short session
Budget details presented at the hearing put the annual operating cost of each camera at about $25,000, with purchase and siting expenses ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to six figures, KLCC reported. O’Driscoll told lawmakers the lab logged more than 11,000 smoke detections in 2025 and warned that without new funding it may have to “effectively shut off our cameras just at the wrong time.”
Next steps for Oregon’s detection network
OHAZ and partners such as Link Oregon urged the Joint Committee on Information Management and Technology to find a funding path during this short legislative session so the state’s interoperable detection system does not erode just as fire risk climbs. The Hazards Lab’s media pages note that live feeds remain public on ALERTWest and on the lab’s camera consoles while lawmakers weigh the request, and the lab says it will keep pressing for a legislative fix before the session wraps.
