Maui Vegetative Fuels Management Collaborative Action Planning Workshop

Full house for the workshop!

As a hub of wildfire protection efforts across the Hawaiian Islands, we are always looking for ways to bring people together to solve some of our most complex wicked problems. The Hawaiian Islands have been struggling with invasive species spread for decades, but now we are seeing what happens when invasive flammable plants take over the landscape and allow fires to spread more quickly and over larger areas. By controlling or managing flammable vegetation at the landscape-level, we can make great strides towards reducing the wildfire risk on our islands.

That’s why HWMO is coordinating a statewide vegetative fuels management mapping project — a rapid assessment to understand the vegetation management needs and priorities of landowners and land managers throughout the Hawaiian Islands. DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife and University of Hawaii CTAHR Cooperative Extension are key partners in the effort.

The vision for the project is that the resulting maps will lead to 1) better prioritization and communication of vegetative fuels management on the landscape-scale and 2) enhance project coordination between organizations and funding opportunities.

Marking areas of importance to protect from wildfires.

Discussing collaborative project ideas.

As part of the next phase of our groundbreaking project, we held a collaborative action planning workshop at the Maui Arts and Culture Center in Kahului. Nearly 50 participants representing a wide variety of fields and backgrounds came together to discuss what future landscape-level vegetation management projects could be on the horizon. During breakout group sessions, teams of people circulated to different tables to highlight key areas for protection, helping inform us on the top priority areas for the last part of the workshop: outlining actual project ideas. Additionally, and possibly more importantly, many people were able to meet new faces, share ideas, and became new work partners. HWMO truly is a hub!

Maui Vegetative Fuels Management Mapping Meetings and LHWRP Workshop

Mapping with Lance De Silva of DOFAW.

As a hub of wildfire protection efforts across the Hawaiian Islands, we are always looking for ways to bring people together to solve some of our most complex wicked problems. The Hawaiian Islands have been struggling with invasive species spread for decades, but now we are seeing what happens when invasive flammable plants take over the landscape and allow fires to spread more quickly and over larger areas. By controlling or managing flammable vegetation at the landscape-level, we can make great strides towards reducing the wildfire risk on our islands.

That’s why HWMO is coordinating a statewide vegetative fuels management mapping project — a rapid assessment to understand the vegetation management needs and priorities of landowners and land managers throughout the Hawaiian Islands. DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife and University of Hawaii CTAHR Cooperative Extension are key partners in the effort.

The vision for the project is that the resulting maps will lead to 1) better prioritization and communication of vegetative fuels management on the landscape-scale and 2) enhance project coordination between organizations and funding opportunities.

Mapping at the LHWRP office with members of the ranching community on Maui.

On June 16 and 17, we had a series of meetings with DOFAW, Alexander & Baldwin, Hana Ranch, and DHHL to map current and desired vegetation management activities in Maui Nui. Activities could include any vegetation reduction or conversion projects such as roadside mowing, fuelbreaks, grazing rotations, clearing around structures or power poles, brush abatement or thinning, tree trimming, loi restoration, agriculture, and native forest restoration. On June 18, we held a workshop in conjunction with Leeward Haleakala Watershed Partnership to gather more data, especially in regards to restoration efforts and grazing areas.

Hawaii Wildfire Summit 2018

Over the years, HWMO has come to understand that wildfire-related challenges are faced by a wide array of professionals and citizens, including more than just those focused on emergency response. HWMO, through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, held the first ever Hawaii Wildfire Summit between April 30 and May 4 at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows to bring together not just fire professionals, but people working in riparian and marine conservation, cultural resource protection, the visitor industry, planning professionals, and community groups from across Hawaii, the Western Pacific, and the rest of the U.S.
 

Pre-Summit: NFPA Assessing Structural Ignition Potential for Wildfire Course

The first two days were dedicated to the NFPA course on Assessing Structural Ignition Potential from Wildfire. Participants included firefighters, land managers, and homeowners who learned the ins and outs of fire and its interaction with the built environment. Wildland fire expert, Pat Durland, who traveled from the mainland to teach the course, also shared valuable information on the latest research for improving the survivability of a home during a wildfire.

Summit Main Event

The main event began on Wednesday, May 2, kicking off two days packed with presentations and workshops from over 40 speakers, including our two keynote speakers, Gloria Edwards of Southern Rockies Fire Science Network and Dr. Steve Quarles of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. A wealth of knowledge was shared throughout the summit by these speakers with the diverse audience. Speakers highlighted lessons learned, best practices and innovations in wildfire protection. Check out the list of speakers and their bios by clicking the buttons below.

HWMO emphasized the importance of using creativity and outside-the-box thinking to get out of our comfort zones, a point that keynote speaker Gloria Edwards so eloquently urged in her presentation. To spur creativity and collaborative dialogue, HWMO encouraged participants to take part in several activities during the breaks and the first evening's meet-and-greet:

* A collaborative Summit to Sea art project
* A collaborative ideas sharing space
* Casting ballots for a statewide youth wildfire prevention bookmark contest. Submissions were from students at Kamaile Academy in Waianae and Kohala and Waikoloa Schools on Hawaii Island. 

Smokin' Word

To cap off the event and to further encourage participants to use their creativity and get out of their comfort zones, we held a "Smokin' Word" open mic. Various brave volunteers, from local fire chiefs to representatives from national programs, gave spoken word performances about "why we do what we do, what we are aiming to protect, and to ignite applause and laughter." We were extremely pleased to see our colleagues dig into their creative space and shake off some nerves to share their great pieces. Professional spoken word artist (and HWMO Community Outreach Coordinator), Pablo Akira Beimler, rounded out the open mic with a performance of his poem in tribute to the summit and all of the inspiring work happening by the people in the room to make Hawaii a better, safer place to live. 

We also had a great turnout of Firewise Community members from Hawaii Island and Maui-- almost all Firewise Communities in Hawaii were represented! Firewise committee members Lisa Chu-Thielbar (Kanehoa), Gordon Firestein (Launiupoko), and Diane Makaala Kanealii (Honokoa) presented lessons learned and background about their Firewise efforts during the general session on the 2nd day. We had a Firewise gathering at the end of the 2nd day where participants played "get to know you bingo" to frantically and comically break the ice. From this point onward, HWMO is committed to forming a statewide peer learning network between all of the Firewise Communities. 

 

Field Workshop

On the final day of the summit, a large group of the summit attendees hopped aboard vehicles to caravan around the South Kohala area to visualize much of what was discussed indoors at the Mauna Lani. The Pacific Fire Exchange field workshop began at the Upper Waikoloa Road Intersection to ground the participants in a sense of place and seeing a landscape-level view of the summit-to-sea watersheds of South Kohala. Then, it was on to Wai Ulaula Waimea Nature Park, where participants learned about watershed planning and about the local native forest. The following stop helped participants understand the wildfire threat that threatens the native forests and the subsequent post-fire flooding that has vastly impacted Hawaii's shorelines. What better place to talk about wildfire than in Kawaihae, where the 2014 wildfire burned thousands of acres and threatened many homes, burned millions of dollars of timber, and post-fire flooding shut down businesses and impacted the livelihoods of local residents. Representatives from Hawaii County Fire Department and National Park Service shared their lessons learned from responding to the massive fire. 

After lunch with a beautiful view of the South Kohala Coastline and a jolt from an earthquake in Kilauea, the group walked to the Puu Kohola Heiau visitor center to learn the history of the sacred site. The group then walked along a trail to learn more about the conditions that are ripe for wildfire in Kawaihae. They continued walking down to Pelekane Bay, the site of intense post-fire runoff and coral reef decay. 

The field workshop ended in Puako where Peter Hackstedde shared about the community's efforts to create a large fuelbreak behind homes and their recent Firewise Community recognition efforts. Paniau was the final stop and a nice place to wrap-up the summit to sea discussion. Some workshop participants stayed for a snorkel tour of the reef. 

Great job, Melissa Kunz, on coordinating such a smooth, exciting, and informative field workshop!

Here is a thank you letter from our Executive Director, Elizabeth Pickett, to the summit participants:

Wildfire Lookout! Statewide School Distribution

In what may be one of HWMO’s most ambitious efforts, we set out to distribute as many Wildfire Lookout! flyers to as many schools as we could on the leeward sides of each of the major islands in Hawaiʻi. With boxes upon boxes of Wildfire Lookout! flyers stuffed into suitcases, HWMO’s Elizabeth Pickett and Pablo Beimler visited over 50 schools on Kauaʻi, Maui, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi Island from May 22-24 and distributed a total of nearly 25,000 flyers. Those flyers were included in students’ final take-home packets before the summer (and peak fire season) begun.

The outreach push was made possible thanks to Grant-In-Aid from the State and was another highlight of Wildfire Preparedness Month this year. Thank you to all of the schools’ staff for helping distribute flyers to students (some schools posted the flyers in the office, library, cafeteria, or other common spaces). 

Banner photo: Waimea Canyon school with recent wildfire-scarred area in background.

Wildfire Readiness Presentation with Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset

Ukumehame Fire on June 22, 2016. Photo Credit: Timothy Lara / Maui Now contributor

After a long day of visiting schools across the leeward side of Maui to promote the Wildfire Lookout! campaign, HWMO’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler, joined Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset members for a dinner at Royal Lahaina Resort on May 16. Fifteen Rotarians listened in as Pablo gave background on the wildfire situation in Hawaii. He then let the group know that there were concrete ways to get involved through the Firewise Communities and ReadySetGo! program. Pablo was able to speak afterwards with several real estate agents about possibilities for promoting good Firewise practices with potential buyers. Mahalo to Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset for being such great hosts (and for the hearty meal!)

Launiupoko Firewise Certification Celebration

Launiupoko, just south of Lahaina on Maui, had a busy fire season last year (even a couple fires burned within the subdivision for the first time). A group of residents responded by forming a Firewise Committee and taking the necessary steps towards Firewise certification. As of 2016, the community is now an official Firewise Community, the first in Western Maui. 

Launiuopoko became a Firewise Community as of 2016 and is sporting their certification proudly on their main road.

This accomplishment was celebrated on May 15th at the home of one of the Firewise Committee members. HWMO’s Pablo Beimler was invited to join and to hold the floor for a speech. Committee members and their neighbors made up a group of 16 or so at the celebration. Pablo thanked the community for its hard work and reminded them that this was only the beginning of a long journey towards becoming a Fire Adapted Community, one in which ALL local stakeholders share responsibility in the wildfire solution. The community is off to a great start and although they are presented with some monumental challenges, they continue to be persistent and enthusiastic in their efforts. Truly inspiring.

March Wildfire Readiness Tour - Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island

As peak wildfire season approaches, HWMO is committed to reach out to as many people as possible statewide about wildfire readiness. With stacks of Ready, Set, Go! guides, Firewise plant bookmarks, Wildfire Prep Day info, and Firewise Communities brochures on hand, Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler, traveled to various parts of Oʻahu and Maui to present wildfire readiness information. From March 7 to March 9, Pablo visited Rotary Clubs of Diamond Head/Kaimuki, Kahala Sunrise, West Pearl Harbor, and Wailuku. In total, 57 Rotarians were reached out to, some of whom have followed up with HWMO about possible partnerships in the future. 

Pablo Beimler promoted Wildfire Prep Day at each presentation. (Photo Credit: Rotary Club of Diamond Head/Kaimuki)

Pablo Beimler with Rotary Club of Diamond Head/Kaimuki President Carie Sarver. (Photo Credit: Rotary Club of Diamond Head/Kaimuki)

On March 14 at Tutu’s House in Waimea, with a small group in attendance, Pablo gave a more in-depth Ready, Set, Go! wildfire readiness workshop. A couple Puʻu Kapu residents were intrigued by the presentation and were inspired to bring information back to the community and generate support for Firewise Community certification. On the last day of the tour, March 15, Pablo gave a presentation about Ready, Set, Go!, Firewise Communities, and Wildfire Prep Day to over 30 members of the Waiʻanae Coast Disaster Readiness Team (including keiki) (banner photo). As a result of the talk, several members were interested in linking up with HWMO and the local Waiʻanae Library to start a Firewise demo garden around the library perimeter. 

Mahalo to all who invited us to speak and who listened in. We hope we have given you enough tools to take action in your community right away!

Puʻunoa Firewise Hazard Assessment

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Assessment team walking along a road to assess wildfire risks/hazards.

In 2016, Launiupoko, near Lahaina, became the first nationally-recognized Firewise Community in West Maui. The accomplishment did not go unnoticed. In fact, news quickly spread to the neighboring Puʻunoa community. This year, Puʻunoa will be working towards the same certification as Launiupoko. 

To begin the process, HWMO joined its partners from Division of Forestry and Wildlife and West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership to conduct a Firewise hazard assessment of the agricultural lots in Puʻunoa. The team first met with several residents from Puʻunoa and the general manager of the HOA to discuss the Firewise certification process.

Assessment team examines road crossing on Kauaula Stream that was damaged during a recent rain event. 

They soon followed the meeting by caravanning (and walking/hiking) throughout the community to assess common wildfire hazards and successful Firewise modifications around homes. Brainstorming ideas, the topic of managed grazing emerged numerous times as one of the ways to mitigate the large tracts of flammable grasslands. The group made their way to the Makila Reservoir and Kauaula Stream, important water suppression resources used by firefighters during past wildfires in the area. During one of the recent storms, the roadway across the stream was destroyed — flooding is another hazard the community faces.

Mahalo to DOFAW, WMMWP, Hawaiiana Management Company, and the newly formed Puʻunoa Firewise Committee for playing an important role in moving Puʻunoa towards Firewise certification.

Method to the Madness Podcast - HWMO Interview

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HWMO Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler (left) and Method to the Madness host, Niklas Lollo

On December 23, just before the holiday season was in full swing, HWMO's Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler visited his alma mater, University of California, Berkeley, and was interviewed by Niklas Lollo, a current graduate student and co-host of the Method to the Madness podcast. The show, which airs regularly on KALX 90.7FM (staffed by students and community volunteers), celebrates "the innovative spirit of the Bay Area." Each episode, they "explore the people behind the ideas, what makes them tick, and why so many of them have come out of" the beautiful Bay Area.

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Pablo Beimler was interviewed about various topics including the work HWMO does in the Pacific and his past experiences in the fire world.

During the interview, Pablo talked story about how HWMO came to existence and the innovative work our organization is doing to safeguard communities and natural areas in Hawaii. Topics ranged from the differences between wildfire behavior on the islands and on the mainland, Firewise Communities, the Pacific Fire Exchange, and what to expect in the coming years for wildfire management in Hawaii. Tune in and you'll also hear about some of Pablo's past experiences working in the Stephens Fire Science Lab at UC Berkeley and Lake Tahoe for CAL FIRE.

Big mahalo to Niklas Lollo and the folks over at KALX for dedicating a half hour of their air time and inviting us to be on the show!

Launiupoko Firewise Day 2016

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Launiupoko Firewise Committee members gathered together to put together wildfire preparedness mailers for over 350 residents.

Launiupoko in Western Maui is well on their way to Firewise Community certification as of 2016, making them one of the first to be certified on the island (Waiohuli and Kahikinui are also in the mix). To fulfill their “Firewise Day” requirement for the year, the Launiupoko Firewise Committee gathered at a home to put together mailer packets with wildfire preparedness information, including Hawaii Ready, Set, Go! Wildfire Action Guides, for over 350 residents. The committee members than handed off the packets to the local association management, who then mailed them off to all residents in Launiupoko. 

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The handoff: giving the mailer packets to the association staff to send out to residents.

We are so proud of the work Launiupoko has done to truly take matters into their own hands and already address wildfire concerns that were identified during a community hazard assessment earlier in the year. Keep up the good work, Launiupoko! Mahalo to West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership for their invaluable help this year with the certification process, as well.