Eagleview Disaster Response Program Invaluable in Spokane Wildfire Reappraisal

Fresh post-disaster imagery helped Spokane County reassess nearly 800 affected parcels within weeks of wildfires.

Background

In August 2023, Spokane County, Washington, faced an overwhelming natural disaster as two simultaneous wildfires, the Gray and Oregon Road fires, burned over 21,000 acres. These fires resulted in the largest property destruction in state history, with an estimated $166 million in assessed property value loss.

Challenge

The Spokane County Assessor’s office, led by Tom Konis, faced the daunting task of reassessing property values for 781 affected parcels. Traditional methods would have been time-consuming and potentially dangerous due to the rural nature of the affected areas and ongoing safety concerns for both staff and residents.

Solution

After consulting with fellow Assessors and contacting his Eagleview representative, Konis leveraged Eagleview’s Disaster Response Program.

In the unfortunate event of a disaster, Eagleview can quickly capture new imagery at reduced or no additional cost to aid response and recovery, providing governments information, data and insights to make critical and lifesaving decisions.

This collaboration enabled the use of high-resolution aerial imagery to assess property damage remotely. Within two days of airspace clearance, Eagleview captured critical fresh imagery, allowing the Assessor’s office to conduct remote reappraisals efficiently and safely.

EagleView Quote

The first image I looked at that Eagleview delivered, I zoomed in and there was who I assumed to be the property owner standing in his backyard and I cried. I mean, you could just feel their pain through that image because their property was just 100% destroyed.

Tom Konis headshot

Tom Konis

Assessor

Spokane County

Before/after the wildfires
Impact

The use of aerial imagery significantly accelerated the reassessment process. The Assessor’s office, in collaboration with the Treasurer’s office, amended property taxes and issued new tax statements and refunds where applicable, all within eight weeks of the fires. This rapid response contrasted starkly with the potential months-long process of traditional assessment methods. The imagery not only ensured the safety of the assessment staff but also provided clear, irrefutable evidence of property damage, streamlining the entire reassessment process, and helping affected residents begin to recover.

An orthogonal view of Spokane County, Washington

“ I’m just so thrilled with the response. If it weren’t for Eagleview, I’m sure we would probably still be out there driving these roads… ”

An orthogonal view of Spokane County, Washington

Tom Konis, Assessor, Spokane County

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