Mauumae Post-Fire Rehabilitation Project Field Tour

Nearly a decade ago, a fierce fire burned through the dry forest along beautiful Mauumae Beach. In response, the South Kohala Coastal Partnership and UH Sea Grant are leading the charge to restore the scarred area as part of a number of other Waiulaula Watershed restoration projects. As part of the Mauumae restoration project, those involved will work together to reduce sediment runoff (a direct impact of wildfire), plant native dry forest vegetation, and implement wildfire prevention practices (that's where we come in!) 

On February 24th, Pablo Beimler, representing Hawaii Wildfire, met with Sierra Tobiason, the lead on the project, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail representatives, and the National Park Service. The group toured the project location and provided input on how to best manage the area. Mr. Beimler offered advice on what native plants would best mitigate fire hazards and identified areas where fuelbreaks could be created to protect the project site. Eventually, Hawaii Wildfire will work with Ms. Tobiason to create a fire management plan. 

The project area is not only an ecologically important area to prevent runoff and wildfire, but is a favorite beach for many local residents who enjoy basking in its powdery sand and gentle waters (in the summer, that is). In fact, it's a favorite spot for many of Hawaii Wildfire's members. We're excited to be a part of such a ground-breaking project. 
 

Banner photo: Field tour attendees point out areas of concern at the Mauumae project site.

California-Nevada-Hawaii Forest Fire Council Training & Seminar - 2014

The Big Island's Waikoloa Beach Marriott played host to this year's California - Nevada - Hawaii Forest Fire Council Training and Seminar (April 9-11), drawing attendees from all over the three listed states and from the Pacific Islands. HWMO and PFX teamed up to set up a booth to disseminate information about Hawaii's wildfire issues and what's being done to mitigate them - as a highlight, PFX's first Fact Sheet was rolled out at the event: Wildfire in Hawaii (link). Day One kept the audience captivated with a variety of informative and exciting talks spanning the world over.  Attendees were informed about the latest Australian bushfires (Richard Woods), East Bay Regional Park District's WUI projects (Brad Gallup), Maui Fire Department's IMT3 activities (Henry Lindo, Jr.), and the International ICS program operating in Indonesia, Vietnam, and a variety of other countries (Rusty Witwer). Paul Steensland and Alan Carlson brought the attendees along an exciting two-hour long ride through a twenty-year investigation and hunt for the Rumsey Canyon Serial Arsonist. Preceding these great presentations, Wayne Ching, Division of Forestry and Wildlife's long-standing and soon-to-retire Fire Management Officer, as well as organizer of this year's event, was honored by those in attendance. DOFAW's Protection Foresters from each main island, Patrick Porter (Kauai), Jay Hatayama (Hawaii Island), Ryan Peralta (Oahu), and Lance De Silva (Maui) led a few morning toasts to Wayne and his remarkable career. To cap off the tribute, all attendees simultaneously revealed red shirts with a picture of Mr. Ching and a list of major incidents he had worked on in his career, either wearing or waving the shirt in a sort of Red Shirt Salute. Here's HWMO's video capturing the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCMFzUdQK30. 

Day Two took members out of their seats and into the outdoors for a field tour. Following a beautiful hike along the Ala Kahakai Trail along Anaeho'omalu Bay, members caravanned over to Puako to visit the community's fuelbreak, which HWMO provided funding and assistance. Peter Hackstedde, Puako Community Association President and a new addition to the HWMO Board of Directors spoke about the fuelbreak efforts, with Elizabeth Pickett, Executive Director of HWMO and Co-Coordinator of PFX, chiming in. The group then took a driving tour through the entirety of the fuelbreak, which runs three miles and borders the entire Puako community, providing a buffer of at least 60-100 feet between houses and the mesquite (kiawe) forest. For the second time since PFX's first field tour in June 25, 2013, Wayne Ching decided to replicate the experience and discussion of the Mauna Kea 33 Fire at the physical location of the fire at Mauna Kea State Park, which threatened the last remaining population of Palila, who number less than 2000, only a few miles away. Special guests Miles Nakahara, retired HWMO President and retired DOFAW Wildlife Biologist, Eric Moller, USAG-P, FES Deputy Fire Chief, Glen Timbal, USAG-P, FES Assistant Fire Chief, Susan Cordell, US Forest Service PSW-IPIF Research Ecologist, and Mr. Hatayama joined Mr. Ching to highlight the first-hand experiences of fighting the fire. The group discussed fire boundaries, initial and extended attack details, incident command, mop-up, results of the After Action Review, suppression challenges and successes and the post-fire impacts of the fire. The discussion concluded with the ramifications on future fire and resource management for this area and its included and nearby critical habitat. Chief Moller added a nice plug for PFX, "It really does develop a concerted effort. For one, it protects my firefighters because we now have a better understanding of what's going on, but it also helps the community and the managers, set their lands up so that they're not fire-prone. It is a win-win-win all the way around," said Chief Moller. Ms. Cordell and Mr. Nakahara agreed with Chief Moller and recognizing PFX's efforts. Audio from the field tour can be heard on the left hand column.

The final day of the event kept the excitement rolling with an engaging and impactful lineup. Two of the most important events of the history of wildfire within the last decade made their way into the lineup - both events occurred in 2013. John Truett gave a moving and harrowing review of the Yarnell Hill Fire which claimed the lives of 19 firefighters in Arizona last year. Mr. Truett reviewed the chain of events that led to the fatality, as well as the incredibly challenging orchestration of the ceremonies thereafter. We will never know the full stories, since those were lost with those who had fallen, but the talk gave a clearer picture of the day's tumultuous proceedings. The room fell respectfully silent after the presentation ended with an emotional video honoring the 19. Following a presentation about emergency preparedness at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (David Benitez), Incident Commander Jerry McGowan gave an insightful and entertaining presentation reporting the details of the 3rd largest fire in California's history, the Rim Fire, and the unprecedented conditions that firefighters were up against, as well as how the incident was managed given a multi-agency, multi-state response.   
HWMO and PFX had the honor to share a presentation before these speakers. Ms. Pickett gave background on HWMO and the many projects it's currently involved in throughout the state, including Hazard Assessments, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, and fuels management projects. Clay Trauernicht, PFX Co-Coordinator and UH Manoa CTAHR Wildfire Extension Specialist, took over the reins to present the latest Hawaii wildfire history data and analyses. To present this information within the context we were in was certainly a highlight for HWMO and PFX. "Definitely the heaviest line-up of speakers I've ever had the honor to share a podium with. It's a truly inspirational group of folks involved with fire across the western region," exclaimed Mr. Trauernicht. Video of the presentation can be seen here in a 2-part YouTube series: http://youtu.be/55JogNF7Jfc.

Banner photo: Elizabeth Pickett, HWMO Executive Director, gives a presentation on the final day of an impressive line-up of speakers.

Western State Fire Managers Meeting - Puako Community Fuelbreak Tour

Based on great feedback from a collaborative lessons learned PFX Field Tour held on June 25, 2013 at Mauna Kea State Park on Hawaii Island to review a 2011 fire that exhibited extreme behavior and threatened human lives and critical habitat, Wayne Ching of Hawaii Department of Land Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Fire decided to replicate the experience and discussion with Western State Fire Managers at their March meeting. 

The tour continued over to the Puako Community Fuelbreak where Peter Hackstedde, Puako Community Association President and a new addition to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization Board of Directors spoke about the fuelbreak efforts. Elizabeth Pickett, Executive Director of Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, chimed in about HWMO's funding and assistance of the project. She also detailed the HWMO and PFX organizations as a whole and their strong partnership with one another. In addition, Elizabeth presented the newly created and delivered Ready, Set, Go! Hawaii Wildland Fire Action Guides and handed out copies to all of the managers, along with Overview Packets for HWMO and PFX. The group then took a driving tour through most of the fuelbreak, which runs 3 miles and borders along the entire Puako community, providing a buffer of at least 60-100 feet between houses and the mesquite (kiawe) forest.

Banner photo: Peter Hackstedde (white T-shirt) speaks to the group (including Wayne Ching of DOFAW, in blue polo) behind an aerial panorama of the Puako Community Fuelbreak.

Field Tour of Leeward Wildfire Projects and Fire Prone Areas with Alex Friend (USFS PSW)

Through the Pacific Fire Exchange (PFX), Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization’s (HWMO) Elizabeth Pickett and Pablo Beimler and U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Institute for Pacific Islands Forestry’s (USFS PSW IPIF) Christian Giardina facilitated a field tour of leeward wildfire mitigation projects and fire-prone sites for the Station Director of the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Alex Friend. 

The group first visited HWMO’s Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park, Hawaii’s only Firewise demo garden, located at the end of Melia St. in Waikoloa Village. The park demonstrates how to reduce the impacts of wildfires through defensible space landscaping and fire-resistant building materials. The garden primarily consists of low-maintenance, native Hawaiian species that are resistant to drought, wind, and heat. Pickett and Beimler led the site visitors through the freshly-weeded garden (HWMO had held a Community Work Morning that day), explaining all of the hard work that HWMO and its partners and community members have put into the project. The hard work had payed off, judging by the plethora of new blossoms emerging on many of the native dryland plants (including ‘Ihi, ‘Ilima papa, Pohinahina, and ‘Ulei). The garden has made a positive impact for the community by not only adding aesthetic value to the neighborhood, but also providing a learning space for Firewise principles that residents can directly apply to their own homes. HWMO is planning on further site visits, including for the upcoming CNH Seminar Forest Fire Seminar and Training on April 9th-11th, and holding a Wildfire Awareness, Prevention, and Work Day event for the first National Wildfire Prevention Day on May 3rd. 

To top off the field tour, the group traveled to the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative’s (WDFI) Forest Preserve, located just southwest of Waikoloa Village. Jen Lawson, the Project Manager who has tirelessly coordinated the restoration, education and volunteer efforts for the preserve, greeted the group at the front gate and led a site tour. The group only scratched the surface of the 275 acre preserve, but were able to see the results of the projects, thus far. Wiliwili trees were sprouting new offspring, while ‘Ilima papa groves were blossoming. The group stopped by the lush nursery, where Jen pulled out a map of the preserve and described the wildfire threat that always looms. HWMO has coordinated with WDFI to co-fund fuelbreak implementations around the perimeter of the preserve, not without their share of challenges. However, the fuelbreaks have added significant security against wildfire scares, especially on the Northeast end of the preserve, where a wildfire would most likely come from. 

Through the field tour, HWMO, PFX, and USFS PSW IPIF were able to communicate to Friend the wildfire issues that Hawaii faces and how these organizations are making great strides in mitigating wildfire threats on the leeward side of Hawaii island, as well as the rest of the State and the Pacific.

Banner photo: (Left to Right): Alex Friend (USFS PSW), Jen Lawson (WDFI), Christian Giardina (USFS PSW-IPIF & PFX), and Elizabeth Pickett (HWMO & PFX) scan through Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve maps and discuss HWMO co-funded fuelbreaks.

Annual HWMO All-Partner Meeting 2013

HWMO and its firefighting and natural resource management partners gathered at the Pohakuloa Training Area to share updates about fire mitigation and planning work that has taken place throughout the last year. HWMO released, for the first time, results of our statewide community hazard assessments, as well as draft maps of a statewide fire event history. Over fifty partners from eighteen agencies and organizations attended the event, as well as two County Council Members and State Representative Cindy Evans.

The PFX field tour, following the meeting, to Mauna Kea State Park was the first tour PFX had organized in its young existence. The tour highlighted, at the physical location of the Mauna Kea State Park Fire, the first-hand experiences of fighting the fire - topics included fire boundaries, initial and extended attack details, incident command, mop-up, results of the After Action Review, and suppression challenges/successes. These topics were led by five of our partners (including one of our very own Board of Directors):

• Eric Moller, PTA Army Fire Chief
• Glen Timbal, PTA Army Assistant Fire Chief
• Jay Hatayama, DOFAW Protection Forester
• Wayne Ching, DOFAW Fire Management Officer
• Miles Nakahara, HWMO President

The tour concluded with a discussion on the ramifications on future fire and resource management for this area and its included and nearby critical habitat.

Banner photo: Field Tour of Mauna Kea State Park, after the meeting, to highlight the 2010 wildfire. 

FEMA Site Visits

Representatives from FEMA visited with HWMO to review sites for potential FEMA funded wildfire mitigation projects. HWMO has applied for funding from FEMA to install firebreaks and diptanks for fire suppression helicopters and trucks throughout the high fire risk regions of West Hawaii. 

As seen in the pictures, FEMA reps and HWMO board members visited the potential project sites and reviewed pictures of firebreak sites with Peter Hackstedde of Puako Community Association.

Banner photo: FEMA reps and HWMO board members visit a site where a wildfire had burned not too long ago.

Puu Waa Waa Wildfire Mitigation Field Meeting

HWMO’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Picket, met with Elliot Parsons of Three Mountain Alliance and Doug Cram of University of Hawaii Extension to discuss wildfire mitigation issues in the Puu Waa Waa region. Puu Waa Waa is home to rich native ecosystems that are constantly threatened by invasive vegetation that make for wildfire threats. 

Banner photo: Doug Cram and Elliot Parsons kneel over a map of the ahupuaa of Puu Waa Waa