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FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026

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Wildfire Risk Meets Insurance Reality as States Push for Fairer Homeowner Protections By John Oliver Across the American West, wildfire risk is no longer a distant seasonal concern. It is a year-round reality reshaping housing markets, insurance availability, and the financial security of millions of homeowners. As wildfires grow more intense and destructive, insurance companies have responded with higher premiums, stricter underwriting standards, and widespread policy cancellations. In response, lawmakers are advancing a new generation of insurance reforms designed to bring balance back to a system many homeowners say has become both opaque and punitive. At the center of the debate is a growing push to require insurance companies to formally recognize wildfire mitigation efforts when setting rates or determining coverage eligibility. These efforts include creating defensible space around homes, using fire-resistant building materials, and making structural improvements designed to reduce ignition risk. Supporters argue that homeowners who invest time and money to reduce wildfire danger should not be treated the same as properties that remain highly vulnerable. In Oregon, legislators are considering statewide measures that would require insurers to factor mitigation actions into their wildfire risk models or, at a minimum, offer meaningful discounts to homeowners who

demonstrate risk reduction. The proposals are being discussed amid mounting frustration from residents who have seen premiums double or triple, or who have lost coverage entirely despite taking proactive safety measures. The legislation reflects a broader acknowledgment that wildfire risk is not static. While geography and climate play major roles, home-level decisions can significantly

influence outcomes. Studies following major fires in recent years have consistently shown that homes with adequate defensible space and hardened structures are more likely to survive than neighboring properties without those protections. Yet under many current insurance models, those distinctions are not fully reflected. Proposed reforms in Oregon would also require greater transparency from insurers,

including clearer explanations of how wildfire risk is calculated and what steps homeowners can take to improve their standing. For many residents, the lack of information has been as frustrating as the cost itself. Homeowners often receive nonrenewal notices without a clear understanding of what triggered the decision or how it might be reversed. Oregon’s efforts are not happening in isolation. Similar reforms are already underway or newly enacted in other wildfire-prone states. In Colorado, lawmakers have adopted measures requiring insurers that rely on wildfire catastrophe models to incorporate both individual and community-level mitigation into their pricing. If mitigation is not included in those models, insurers must provide discounts to homeowners who complete approved risk-reduction steps. The goal is to align insurance pricing more closely with real-world risk rather than relying solely on broad geographic assumptions. Meanwhile, California has enacted a package of insurance and wildfire safety reforms taking effect in 2026. These laws are designed to stabilize the insurance market while encouraging wildfire preparedness. They promote mitigation-based incentives, expand consumer protections, and aim to slow the pace of insurer withdrawals from

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see WILDFIRE, page 5

Oregon’s Healthcare Safety Net Shrinks as Hospitals Close and Services Retreat By John Oliver Oregon’s healthcare system is undergoing a quiet but consequential transformation, one that is reshaping access to care for patients and communities across the state. Two recent developments, the planned closure of Vibra Specialty Hospital in Portland and the restructuring of Asante Ashland Community Hospital in southern Oregon, illustrate how financial pressure, workforce strain, and shifting care models are narrowing the healthcare safety net at a time when demand remains high. In Portland, Vibra Specialty Hospital is set to close on Feb. 1, a decision that will eliminate approximately 310 healthcare jobs and end operations at Oregon’s only long-term acute care hospital. Long-term acute care hospitals serve patients with complex medical needs who require extended hospital-level treatment, often following severe illness, trauma, or prolonged stays in intensive care units. With Vibra’s closure, Oregon will no longer have an in-state facility dedicated to this level of care. The loss creates an immediate gap in the healthcare continuum. Patients who would have been transferred to a long-term acute care setting may now remain longer in standard hospitals, increasing pressure on already strained inpatient

Asante has cited declining inpatient volumes, reduced birth rates, and the proximity of Rogue Regional Medical Center as key factors behind the decision. From a systemwide perspective, consolidating inpatient and obstetric care is presented as a strategy to preserve long-term financial stability and ensure that higher-acuity services remain adequately staffed and resourced. From a community perspective, however, the change represents the loss of core hospital services that many residents view as essential to local health security. Ashland residents and regional advocates have raised concerns about increased travel times for labor and delivery, inpatient admissions, and post-surgical care, particularly for older adults and families without reliable transportation. The transition has also renewed scrutiny of long-standing units. Others may be forced to seek care out of state, adding travel burdens for families and complicating discharge planning. Healthcare leaders and workforce advocates have warned that the closure reflects broader systemic challenges, including rising labor and supply costs, reimbursement limitations, and regulatory pressures that have made specialized hospitals increasingly difficult to sustain. At the same time, southern Oregon is facing a

different but equally significant shift. Asante Ashland Community Hospital is transitioning to a satellite campus of Rogue Regional Medical Center, a change scheduled to take effect by spring 2026. Under the plan, Ashland’s hospital will discontinue birthing services and most inpatient care, while maintaining a 24-hour emergency department and a range of outpatient services, including imaging, laboratory work, and some same-day procedures.

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see OREGON'S, page 5