Waialea Fuelbreak Tours and Firewise Community Hazard Assessment (Part 1)

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HWMO's Mike Tomich removes aloe stalk in living fuelbreak as example of fuels reduction measures that can be taken.

Around 2005, the residents of Waialea and HWMO began discussing the establishment of a living (or shaded) fuelbreak along the mauka edge of the community to increase fire protection for homes in the subdivision. 

HWMO had a few goals for the project:

1) Fuels conversion and reduction of grass maintenance within the fuelbreak.
2) Utilizing lessons learned in establishing the fuelbreak to aid similar efforts.
3) Assist the Waialea community in additional, adjacent fuels reduction along the fuelbreak and the extended community wildland interface.

Over the years, HWMO has been able to check off each of its goals, helping protect Waialea from the ever-looming threat of wildfires in the highly-trafficked area.

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HWMO's VP Sam Patten is giddy to find a community fire hose.

To help move Waialea enter the next phase of wildfire protection, HWMO will be assisting the community through the Firewise Communities process. On January 12th, a group of community members met with HWMO's Community Outreach Coordinator Pablo Beimler, President Mike Tomich, and Vice President Sam Patten. The crew toured the living fuelbreak and adjacent State Parks lands to conduct the first part of a Firewise Community Hazard Assessment and to discuss proposals of project ideas they would introduce to the State Parks Superintendent, Dean Takabayashi, who they would meet that Friday. 

On January 15th, more than a dozen community members joined HWMO and State Parks reps to tour the northern end of the community. The discussions ranged from the health of the reef to the fuel buildup in the gulches to the incredible fuels reduction work already being done by the State at the Beach 69 facilities. 

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Group of community members, HWMO reps, and State Parks officials tour the area to examine potential project opportunities.

HWMO was pleased to see the great collaborative energy amongst community members and agency officials - this will open up the pathway to work on fuels reduction projects conjunctively on State Park lands that abut the community.  

Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance Huakai

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Koa forests on Mauna Kea make for a mist-erious drive.

Part of what makes a partnership strong is sharing knowledge, especially in person and among place. HWMO had the great opportunity to meet with its partners from Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance (MKWA) for a huakai of one of their preservation areas on the eastern flanks of Mauna Kea. After a bumpy, Indiana Jones-esque ride to the site, Pablo Beimler, representing HWMO toured the site with Jermy Uowolo and Joe Kern of MKWA to discuss the fuels management issues in and around the area and to brainstorm ideas for reducing fuel and creating better suppression access. More importantly, Pablo was able to take in-depth notes with photos that he added to a report that he will share with members of HWMO's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC members hold a diverse wealth of knowledge about the area's fire issues and fuels management techniques that would work in the area. 

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A pueo keeps a watchful eye on us as we enter the preserve.

The site acts as a bird corridor for some of Hawaii's most precious birds, such as palila and pueo (HWMO's mascot). A few years ago, a wildfire burned through parts of the preserve, including koa and mamane tree plots, so wildfire is a high priority for the MKWA team. MKWA crew are continuing to work to preserve the precious native forests that still exist there and are reinvigorating existing forests and creating new ones by out-planting more trees like koa, mamane, and iliahi. Pablo had the exciting opportunity, at the end of the tour, of putting in some volunteer hours by helping fertilize new koa starts that will act as a barrier from the invasion of gorse. The vigorous shrub has taken over large tracts of land on the mauna and are continuing their march to new areas.Their seeds can stay viable in the ground for 50+ years and when a fire comes around, they re-sprout with ease (their seed pods open after fires and their burnt stumps can generate new sprouts). This is certainly one of the hazards we will discuss with our team of experts.

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Endless field of gorse (darker green vegetation).

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An area that was burned in the latest wildfire can be seen in the furthest puu where a group of mamane trees were scorched.

Big mahalo to the MKWA crew, including Jermy, Joe, and Cheyenne Perry (who wasn't able to attend but is also an integral member of the HWMO team). We are very fortunate to have such great partners all across the board - it's the only way we can truly take on a challenge as vast and complicated as wildfire. 

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A beautiful new koa that we fertilized at the end of the tour. 

Kauai Annual Brush Fire Mitigation Meeting & Anahola Hawaiian Homes Site Visits

Annual Brush Fire Mitigation Meeting

Since December of 2014, Kauai has had its most brush fires in the shortest span of time" in recent history, according to Captain Daryl Date, head of the Kauai Fire Department (KFD) Fire Prevention Bureau. 

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Captain Daryl Date and Chief Robert Westerman show "heat map" of wildfire ignitions in Kauai since December 2014.

The numbers don't lie: 104 wildfires this year up to June 9th, the date of the Annual Brush Fire Mitigation Meeting hosted by KFD, marks a milestone that has raised concerns for residents and agencies from all over Kauai. At least 60 or so are considered "suspicious", an alarming rate that has led Kauai Police to sound the alarms for reporting any suspicious behavior.

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Derek Wroe of NOAA National Weather Service explains El Niño's potential to delay the next wet season.

To help Kauai prepare for growing wildfire threats, KFD invited Kauai's largest landowners to a meeting at the Headquarters in Lihue. Captain Date began the meeting with these stark numbers and an up-to-date "heat map" showing the areas that have had the most ignitions thus far since December 2014. 

NOAA National Weather Service representative Derek Wroe followed with an insightful look at the fire weather trends. "Lihue had the driest west season in the past 30 years", just one of the many indicators pointing towards a more active fire season. In fact, leeward Kauai is now considered "abnormally dry" (40-50% below normal rainfall during the 2014-15 wet season.) "El Niño has an 80% chance of persisting into the wet season," Wroe explained, "which will delay the onset of the wet season" and thus an early start to next year's fire "season." 

With these warnings in mind, HWMO's Pablo Beimler took the meeting participants through a Wildfire Preparedness for Large Landowners/Managers presentation. Mr. Beimler illustrated the basics of fire behavior and applied them to how those factors could be minimized through strategic management practices, including fuelbreak creation and forest thinning. 

After the presentation, HWMO reps Mr. Beimler and Vice President Sam Patten distributed Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) input forms to all of the landowners/managers, with the hopes to receive their valuable input by mid-July for the Kauai update. Following the meeting, meeting participants also placed stickers of their areas of concern on a large Kauai map that will go into the plan.

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Adding input to our CWPP map for Kauai.

The last segment of the meeting involved a productive discussion amongst the landowners/managers and KFD officials. Each landowner/manager shared their wildfire concerns and mentioned any resources they had that could be made available to KFD for wildfire suppression purposes.

Anahola Fuels Reduction

One of the striking themes from the Mitigation Meeting was the overwhelming consensus that Anahola be one of the targets for fuels reduction projects. Fittingly enough, Mr. Beimler and Mr. Patten traveled to Anahola after the meeting to identify and photograph wildfire hazards along the east side of the island and meet with Anahola Hawaiian Homes Community Association representatives, including Councilman Kipukai Kualii. HWMO had a fruitful discussion over saimin to start the planning process for making Pii Lani Mai Ke Kai a Firewise Community/Fire Adapted Community.

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Garbage dumping - a priority wildfire concern for Anahola Hawaiian Homes residents.

Anahola has had its fair share of scares over the last few months. One of the major hazards identified was an area where abandoned cars and trash/junk were being dumped in tall dry grasses. HWMO will be working with the community to help reduce wildfire hazards. In fact, Anahola will be one of 10-16 communities over the next two years throughout the State!

Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group (BIWCG) and HWMO Technical Advisory Committee April Meetings

As part of a double-header of partner meetings at the Waimea Civic Center on April 24th, HWMO met with its partners from Hawaii Fire Department, University of Hawaii CTAHR, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Fire & Emergency Services, and DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife for a Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group (BIWCG) meeting. Each agency gave updates about recent wildfire-related news and future training and partnership opportunities.

Following the BIWCG meeting, a few other partners of HWMO entered the room for a Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Before the meeting, our partners were treated to delicious sandwiches and snacks prepped by HWMO staff and juicy mountain apples brought in by HFD Assistant Chief Gantry Andrade.

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HWMO Technical Advisory Committee members add to the "dream projects" list.

Representatives from DLNR DOFAW on Oahu, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on Oahu, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, and Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative joined BIWCG and HWMO staff and Board members to discuss "dream projects" that HWMO could pursue. As a collaborative organization, we don't move forward with a project unless its grounded in the needs of agencies and communities. This is one of the major reasons why our projects have been so successful!

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West Oahu CWPP Agency and Community Meetings

For the first time on Oahu, a CWPP will be put together to address the growing wildfire concerns on the small, but densely-populated island. HWMO coordinated a series of meetings to collect input (the same way as all of the other CWPPs) for the West Oahu CWPP. The area has been ravaged by wildfires that have resulted in many close-calls for area residents, including a recent fire that scorched homes in Makakilo.

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Counter-clockwise from top left: Kapolei/Kalaeloa, Nanakuli, Waianae, Makakilo

HWMO first met with OWIE representatives from various federal, state, and local suppression agencies to collect their input. Elizabeth Pickett and Ilene Grossman then led a total of five community meetings (on two separate trips) at the Seafarers Training Center in Kapolei, Nanaikapono Elementary School in Nanakuli, Mauka Lani Elementary School in Makakilo, and Waianae District Park (2 meetings). Each meeting attracted 10-20 people who took interest in adding their input to the plan.

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.

Kauai CWPP Update Agency Meeting

Kauai's Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is long-due for an update. Hawaii Wildfire is leading the charge in conjunction with its partners on Kauai to update the plan with fresh input and new hazard assessments and maps. 

On February 23rd at the Lihue fire station, Elizabeth Pickett and Ilene Grossman gathered with 12 agency representatives from Kauai Fire Department (including Chief Robert Westerman), KFD fire prevention, Civil Defense, and DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (including the district manager, protection foresters, and outreach and education staff members.) 

Attendees at the meeting kicked off the update process by providing their wildfire concerns and recommended projects and actions regarding wildfire hazard mitigation. 

Find out how you can participate in the CWPP process by joining the upcoming meetings at the end of March.

Banner photo: KFD firefighters place stickers on their highest priority wildfire concerns.

Molokai CWPP Agency Meeting

In preparation of the upcoming CWPP meeting for Molokai on March 18th, Hawaii Wildfire's Elizabeth Pickett met with nineteen people from the Molokai Fire Task Force at the Kaunakakai fire station on February 18th. Representatives hailed from agencies including Maui Fire Department, Maui Police Department, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and The Nature Conservancy. 

During the meeting, an important step for creating Molokai's first Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), Ms. Pickett gave an overview of the CWPP process and asked the Task Force to aid in coordinating the March 18th community meeting details.

Many of the attendees were able to provide their own wildfire concerns and recommended actions they would like to see taken to reduce wildfire hazards on the island. 

The community meeting will take place at the halau at Kulana Oiwi on March 18th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Banner photo: Molokai Fire Task Force members share input on wildfire concerns and recommended actions.

3rd Annual HWMO All-Partner Meeting

All of our projects are collaboratively-based. This has been the key to our success, as it has made our projects grounded, relevant, and truly effective.  As a way to honor these incredible partnerships and to keep each other up-to-date about the latest happenings among wildfire professionals in Hawaii, we held our 3rd Annual All-Partner Meeting at the Pohakuloa Training Area off of Saddle Road.
 
The November 20th event followed the Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group's (BIWCG) final meeting of the year. New officers for BIWCG were elected, including President (Assistant Chief Gantry Andrade, HFD), Vice President (Jay Hatayama, DOFAW), and Secretary (Elizabeth Pickett, HWMO) to ring in the new year. After the conclusion of the meeting, BIWCG members joined HWMO’s other partners for a delicious plate lunch made with fresh, mostly local ingredients by the staff of HWMO.  
 
The HWMO All-Partner Meeting commenced with a roundtable meet-and-greet where partners introduced themselves to the group and shared updates from their agency or organization. HWMO's Elizabeth Pickett then shared a presentation recapping HWMO's successful year of achieving its 3 major objectives: Creating a Solid and Sustainable Organization; Increasing Awareness and Understanding of the Wildfire Issue; and Providing Technical Assistance. Midway through the presentation, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler, provided a brief recap on the many successful outreach events HWMO held and participated in this year. Following the HWMO presentation, DOFAW's Wayne Ching, who is retiring at the end of this year, gave a brief speech about DOFAW's wildfire-related efforts and the vision for the agency's future. Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth Pickett gave a presentation put together by Dr. Clay Trauernicht that highlighted his recent research on the severity of the wildfire issue in Hawaii.
 
To conclude this year’s All-Partner Meeting, HWMO presented the first ever Partner of the Year Award to long-time partner and integral member of the Hawaii wildfire community, Mr. Wayne Ching, for his countless years of help and expertise. We couldn't have made it this far without him! In fact, we wouldn't be the successful and effective organization we have become without all of our partners. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have helped HWMO grow and blossom over the years.  We hope to see you and many more at next year’s meeting. Mahalo!

Banner photo: Partner of the Year, Wayne Ching (DOFAW) presents to around 25 of our partners.

Technical Advisory Committee - First Meeting

In an effort to continue Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization's 12-year momentum as the wildfire-focused nonprofit arm of Hawaii’s communities, land management and protection groups, and government agencies, the organization recently expanded its leadership to include a Technical Advisory Committee that met officially for the first time on October 30th. The Technical Advisory Committee will advise, assist, and support HWMO projects and programs by providing a level of technical expertise and leadership that is unmatched within the State of Hawaii. Driven by wildfire needs and priorities, the Technical Advisors will allow HWMO projects to remain grounded, effective, and relevant to on-the-ground fire suppression and land management needs.  This has always been HWMO’s primary objective and strategy, and with HWMO’s statewide expansion over the last few years, we have restructured to ensure  HWMO has the technical leadership and on-the-ground expertise to support and guide the organization's expanded efforts.

Members of the Committee got right into the swing of things at the October 30 meeting as they provided input regarding their entity’s or jurisdiction's wildfire concerns and brainstormed recommended actions that HWMO can collaboratively pursue to address those concerns.  

The Technical Advisory Committee includes representation from the following entities and agencies: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Community College Fire Program, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, University of Hawaii Sea Grant, University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension, Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group, West Maui Fire Task Force, Parker Ranch, Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance, National Park Service Natural Resource Management, National Park Service Fire Management, Hawaii Island Native Seed Bank, Malama Kai Foundation, Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative, Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation, West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, Hawaii Fire Department, Hawaii County Civil Defense, US Army Fire, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources- Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife and Aquatic Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

After working for years with these entities as project partners, we are excited to formalize their technical leadership positions within HWMO through the establishment of this committee.  HWMO wholeheartedly welcomes the Technical Advisors officially to the HWMO team.  We look forward to a strong and effective future!

Banner photo: Elizabeth Pickett welcomes the new Technical Advisory Committee.