In heavily forested environments, the digital deletion of vegetation through lidar remote sensing and the generation of bare-earth digital elevation models has enhanced our abilities to observe and quantify geologic hazards. In this forum Dr. Wegmann will present examples from studies in Washington, Colorado, and North Carolina where lidar datasets allow for improved identification and quantification of landslide, debris flow, and earthquake hazards. For example, the 2014 Oso debris avalanche in Washington State killed 43 people. Lidar-based digital elevation models reveal that pre-historic landforms with characteristics similar to the deadly 2014 event exist along the formerly glaciated valley bottoms of western Washington, suggesting that events like this may be more common than previously thought.