Fires Consume More Hawaiʻi Forest in Recent Years

Via Liam Thropp at Hawaii Business Magazine:

Fires burned more than 30,000 acres of forest and brushland in both 2018 and 2019 – far more than any other year in more than a decade, according to the latest State of Hawaiʻi Data Book.

You have to go back to 2005 and 2007 to find years with comparable acreage ravaged by forest and brushland fires in Hawai‘i, according to annual figures provided by state Data Books.

Thirty-one individual fires in 2019 engulfed 32,124 acres of forest and brushland – a combined area almost as large as the island of Niʻihau.

Hawaiʻi has seen a spike in drought intensity since 2016, especially during the summers. The U.S. Drought Monitor, a service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, showed a spike this past summer in areas of Hawai‘i categorized as D2.

The drought intensity scale is composed of five levels: D0, D1, D2, D3, and D4. The severe drought category is D2, which “corresponds to an area where crop or pasture losses are likely, fire risk is very high, water shortages are common, and water restrictions are typically voluntary or mandated,” NOAA says.

Such environments mean plants become fuel that only need a flame to set a landscape ablaze.

Wildland fires, which burn a greater proportion of Hawaiʻi land area compared to most Mainland states, place significant burdens on county, state and federal emergency management agencies.

Inflation and longer fire seasons nationwide have caused fire costs for the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of the Interior to skyrocket. Fire budgets, especially in Hawaiʻi, have not kept up with the worsening conditions, according to the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. At the Hawaiʻi State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, $900,000 has been budgeted for fire management; however the cost of hiring helicopters to suppress a single midrange fire can be over $300,000, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Here is a list of forest and brushland acreage burned in recent years:

• 2019: 32,124

• 2018: 30,593

• 2017: 7,697

• 2016: 18,124

• 2015: 5,594

• 2014: 634

• 2013: 782

• 2012: 5,526

• 2011: 1,228

• 2010: 3,522

• 2009: 8,079

• 2008: 2,385

• 2007: 29,592

• 2006: 14,585

• 2005: 26,493

California wildfires spawn first ‘gigafire’ in modern history

Via The Guardian News Source:

August complex fire expanded beyond 1m acres, elevating it from a mere ‘megafire’ to a new classification: ‘gigafire’

At 1.03m acres, the fire is larger than the state of Rhode Island and is raging across seven counties, according to fire agency Cal Fire. Photograph: Noah Berger/AP

California’s extraordinary year of wildfires has spawned another new milestone – the first “gigafire”, a blaze spanning 1m acres, in modern history.

California fires set bleak record as 4m acres destroyed

On Monday, the August complex fire in northern California expanded beyond 1m acres, elevating it from a mere “megafire” to a new classification, “gigafire”, never used before in a contemporary setting in the state.

At 1.03m acres, the fire is larger than the state of Rhode Island and is raging across seven counties, according to fire agency Cal Fire. An amalgamation of several fires caused when lightning struck dry forests in August, the vast conflagration has been burning for 50 days and is only half-contained.

The August complex fire heads a list of huge fires that have chewed through 4m acres of California this year, a figure called “mind-boggling” by Cal Fire and double the previous annual record. Five of the six largest fires ever recorded in the state have occurred in 2020, resulting in several dozen deaths and thousands of lost buildings.

There is little sign of California’s biggest ever fire season receding, with above-average temperatures expected this week. The state endure a heatwave this summer, aiding the formation of enormous wildfires even without the seasonal winds that usually fan the blazes that have historically dotted the west coast.

Vast, out-of-control fires are increasingly a feature in the US west due to the climate crisis, scientists say, with rising temperatures and prolonged drought causing vegetation and soils to lose moisture.

This parched landscape makes larger fires far more likely. Big wildfires are three times more common across the west than in the 1970s, while the wildfire season is three months longer, according to an analysis by Climate Central.

“We predicted last year that we were living with the chance of such an extreme event under our current climate,” said Jennifer Balch, a fire ecologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Don’t need a crystal ball.”

The 2020 fire season has seen choking smoke blanket the west coast and at times blot out the sun. But experts warn this year may soon seem mild by comparison as the world continues to heat up due to the release of greenhouse gases from human activity.

“If you don’t like all of the climate disasters happening in 2020, I have some bad news for you about the rest of your life,” said Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M University.

29 days to save the Earth ...

... because that is when the US withdraws from the Paris climate accord, on 4 November. Five years ago nearly 200 countries committed to a collective global response to tackle the climate crisis. But when Donald Trump took office he announced that the US would leave the Paris agreement. On the one issue that demands a worldwide response to help safeguard the Earth for future generations, the US has chosen to walk away.

The stakes could hardly be higher. The period since the Paris agreement was signed has seen the five hottest years on record, along with a cascade of disasters, from strengthening hurricanes to growing wildfires. If carbon emissions continue we can expect even worse.

With your help we can keep this issue at the center of our 2020 election coverage. The Guardian has promised to give the climate emergency the sustained attention and prominence it demands. And we practice what we preach: we have renounced fossil fuel advertising, becoming the first major global news organisation to do so. We have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030. And above all, we will continue our longstanding record of powerful reporting that recognizes the climate crisis as the defining issue of our time.

High-quality journalism that is grounded in science will be critical for raising awareness of these dangers and driving change. Because we believe every one of us deserves equal access to fact-based news and analysis, we’ve decided to keep Guardian journalism free for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This is made possible thanks to the support we receive from readers across America in all 50 states. If you can, support the Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

Kapalua Fire 100% Contained, Burn Area Monitoring Continues

Via Maui Now News:

A fire that started on Wednesday morning in the brush above the Kapalua Airport has blackened an estimated 550 acres and is now 100 percent contained as of noon on October 2nd, according to Maui fire officials.

Maui Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro said personnel will continue monitoring the burn area.

The fire started at 10:57 a.m., mauka of the Honoapiʻilani Highway near the Kapalua Airport in West Maui on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020.

During the firefighting operations, personnel from the nearby water treatment plant mauka of the airport were evacuated on Wednesday.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

VIDEO: Recent Red Flag Warning Put Focus On Wildfire Safety

In Hawaii, recent prolonged drought have forecasters and Firefighters on high alert. Check out this video from Hawaiʻi DLNR, edited by BIVN, that goes into proactive efforts everyone can take to reduce their risks to wildfires.

Via Big Island Video News:

(BIVN) – Heading into the fall, prolonged drought in certain locations around Hawaiʻi has forecasters and firefighters on high alert.

The National Weather Service recently issued a Red Flag Warning for all leeward areas of the Hawaiian Islands. Dry conditions, breezy trade winds, and low humidity made for critical wildfire conditions.

“Vegetation conditions have really become dry over portions of the state during August, especially in the leeward areas of Maui County where severe drought has been quite persistent,” said Kevin Kodama, the Senior Service Hydrologist with the NWS Forecast Office in Honolulu, in a State news release. “Furthermore, based on our climate guidance, it’s looking like we may have a late start to our October through April wet season and significant relief may not show up until November,” he added.

The southern leeward side of Hawai‘i island is not currently experiencing some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor on August 27. Kohala and all of East Hawaiʻi is under “Abnormally Dry” conditions and Maunakea and Kawaihae is under “Moderate Drought”.

State officials say September and October are typically the most prone to wildfire starts in Hawai‘i, but there are no longer typical fire seasons in the islands.

The Hawaiʻi DLNR recently issued a media release, and recorded video, on the topic. The DLNR said:

A year ago, about 41% of the state was not experiencing drought, as of now that percentage has dropped to around 32% as drought-free. The authors of the drought monitor estimate nearly 280,000 Hawai‘i residents live in currently rated drought areas. “Given the red flag warning now covering leeward areas, we can expect the percentages of area under drought conditions to increase in the next monitoring report,” said Neal Fujii, a hydrologist with the State Commission on Water Resources Management.

In more normal times, fire management partners across the state, stage a “Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT!” campaign to increase people’s awareness of the connection between drought and wildfires. “The COVID-19 pandemic, is of course capturing everyone’s attention as it should, but we do hope people will be aware over the next few months that their actions can lead to wildfires, that can threaten homes, property, forests and lives,” said DLNR Senior Communications Manager Dan Dennison, who in collaboration with others, initiated the annual wildfire awareness campaign five years ago.

“We’ve already experienced several large fires on O‘ahu and Maui and high-risk conditions will persist, especially in leeward areas, until we get significant rainfall,” explained Dr. Clay Trauernicht, Associate Specialist in Ecosystem Fire with the University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service.

Part of the annual Wildfire & Drought Lookout campaign is to provide common-sense tips and guidance for everyone to follow to prevent wildfires. Nani Barretto, the Co-Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) added, “The difference about wildfires that people need to understand, compared to most natural hazard events, is that they are preventable. We can reduce the impacts when we are proactive. There’s lots we can do to protect ourselves, our families, our communities. Now is the time to do that, to take action and to be proactive.”

Among the actions HWMO and other fire management agencies recommend:

• Do not park on dry grass

• Do not use equipment that sparks, especially on a dry day

• Keep grass cut short and trees trimmed high

• Clean leaf piles in the yard, in rain gutters and around structures

In 2018, a Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit was held in South Kohala. The Hawaiʻi DLNR also recorded many sessions from the event, and featured a discussion from Captain William Bergin on the challenges of fighting wildfires in the dry leeward district.

Hawaii Is Losing As Much Of Its Land To Wildfires As Any Other State

Wildfire researcher Clay Trauernicht says the African grasses and shrubs that have taken over Hawaii’s ag lands need to be managed to control wildfires.

This Honolulu Civil Beat Article does a wonderful job of describing the wildfire situation Hawaii is currently facing. With as high of a percentage of land that is burned every year as the notoriously fire-prone western United States, Hawaii has a big issue on its hands.

This Civil Beat article goes into the environmental conditions that have resulted in such a dramatic increase in wildfires throughout the state, as well as the economic and historical reasons that have helped cause these current conditions to exist. Hawaii’s past has consisted of large-scale land alterations, heavy impacts on fragile endemic and native species with the introduction of invasive competition into the ecosystem, as well as dramatic increases in human population over time. All of these factors, along with many other environmental variables currently in flux with the rapidly changing climate play a part in Hawaii’s fire situation. It is becoming increasingly imperative that fire fuel loads are managed throughout the state, and that we all share the knowledge of how to live alongside this increasing threat of wildfire.

From the article:

“University of Hawaii professor Camilo Mora recently reviewed 12,000 scientific studies and found at least 30 different types of impacts of climate change related to fires, hitting health, food, water, infrastructure, security and the economy. Wildfires affect mental health and spread disease, degrade air quality and harm coral reefs, threaten freshwater supplies and deter tourists”

-Civil Beat Author Nathan Eagle

We recommend reading the Honolulu Civil Beat Article to take a deeper dive on all of these dimensions to wildfire in Hawaiʻi.

The Amazon Wildfire Situation

As you may have heard, the Amazon is currently in the midst of multiple wildfires that has been burning for more than 2 weeks. The number of these massive trees act as a carbon “sink”, dramatically slowing global warming. The forest is the largest in the world, capturing gaseous carbon from the atmosphere, and transforming it into a solid state due to the Amazon’s amazing knack for photosynthesis.

As CNN describes, “(The Amazon) is considered vital in slowing global warming, and it is home to uncountable species of fauna and flora. Roughly half the size of the United States, it is the largest rainforest on the planet. The Amazon is often referred to as the planet's lungs, producing 20% of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere”

The conditions there are especially fire-prone due to several environmental, and socio-political factors. According to NOAA, this July has been the hottest on record, worldwide. This, as well as the fact that during brazil’s dry season, fires are deliberately started in efforts to illegally deforest land for cattle ranching - (BBC News). According to VOX News, The Amazon rainforest has experienced a record number of fires this year, with 72,843 reported so far. It’s an 84 percent increase over the number of wildfires at the same time last year.

Vox news points out that many areas across the world such as Siberia, the Canary Islands, Alaska, and Greenland have experienced a year of extreme wildfire, the most alarming are the wildfires in the Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest tropical forest. It’s an area with torrential rain that almost never burns on its own, yet the blazes have burned for more than two weeks, growing so intense that they sent smoke all the way to São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.

Read more on the wildfire situation in the Amazon Rainforest here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49415973

https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/20/20813786/wildfire-amazon-rainforest-brazil-siberia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/21/americas/amazon-rainforest-fire-intl-hnk-trnd/index.html

Keālia Pond Refuge Center Reopens After Maui Wildfire

The Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center re-opened on Monday following damage from the Waiko Road fire earlier this month.

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

A great story about how fire-resistant, native vegetation can help to slow a wildfire Here, from Hawaii Public Radio:

9,200 Acre Maui Fire Now Declared Fully Contained

Many Maui residents and Firefighters can take a sigh of relief today, as the wildfire that burned 9,200 total acres has been declared fully contained.

While the blaze spread quickly across the old sugarcane plantation fields and unmanaged grasslands, there were no reported injuries from this event.

Thank you Maui Fire department for containing this incredible blaze!

(Source: MFD and Hawaii News Now)

From The Source:

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A pair of wildfires on Maui that began late last week have been 100 percent contained, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino announced Monday morning.

Firefighters will continue working in the area until the fires are extinguished. The flames burned a combined 9,200 acres, causing power outages and cancelling flights out of the Kahului airport.

Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate the area Thursday, at the height of the flames, and the nearby Maui Humane Society actually recruited community volunteers to help transport animals to safety.

“Words cannot express how relieved I am that there were no injuries or major property damage from what were dangerous, fast-moving fires that required evacuations and road closures,” Victorino said.

Maui Currently Experiencing a Huge 3000 Acre Fire Still Un-contained

The fire currently under way on Maui is going to continue through the night as firefighting crews remain cautious while fighting the 3000 acre blaze. With a number of road closures and evacuations that have been underway today, there have been many people and animals displaced due to this fast moving brush fire. We hope that the Maui County Fire Department stays safe as they attempt to control and extinguish the brushfire.

A brush fire shut down Kuihelani Highway from Honoapiilani Highway to Maui Lani Parkway. The fire was reported at 10:42 a.m., south of the Kuihelani Highway-Waiko Road intersection. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

From The Maui News:

Two helicopters were fighting a major brush fire that shut down Kuihelani Highway on Thursday. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Motorists left Kihei on Thursday evening through charred Maui Veterans Highway amid a rapidly moving brush fire that consumed 3,000 acres as it swept from Kahului toward north Kihei due to high winds.

Access into Kihei on the highway was reopened at 9:30 p.m. after being closed in the afternoon. The county said that vehicles were being escorted through North Kihei Road. 

A Kihei shelter reached capacity at 450 people. A mandatory evacuation of north Kihei residents was lifted at about 9:30 p.m.

All ground firefighter crews were set to work through the night to try to contain the fire, which remained a “very dynamic situation,” according to Maui Fire Department Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro late Thursday night.

A major brush fire Thursday shut down Kuihelani Highway from Honoapiilani HIghway to Maui Lani Parkway. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Road closures:

• North Kihei Road (vehicles being escorted).

• Hansen Road.

Road reopenings:

• Kuihelani Highway.

• All lanes of Maui Veterans Highway.

• Waiko Road.

(click on the Maui News link above to learn more about shelters that are open and/or at capacity)

KHON2 News:

The Maui Humane Society was one of the first places to be evacuated earlier Thursday afternoon.

“It was black smoke, and it was pretty thick. We could absolutely see the flames. They were close,” said Nancy Willis with the Maui Humane Society.

They moved over 200 animals, with the help of residents and other shelters. They set up at Maui High School where many workers and volunteers are taking care of the animals.

“We’re working on a generator, lights and cots. Lots of people are helping us. We’ve put that plan into place, just in case,” said Willis.

Over 600 people have checked into shelters at the Kihei Community Center, Kamalii Elementary School and War Memorial Gymnasium as of 9 p.m. Thursday night. 

From CNN:

As darkness set in, Maui Mayor Mike Victorino said firefighters would not bring it under control overnight.

"We can't fight the fire tonight. We're not going to send any firefighters into harm's way," Victorino said Thursday.

DLNR: Fire Season in Hawai‘i is Now Year-Round

Wildfires are much less contained to a specific time of the year than they have been in the past. Instead fire has become a year-round occurrence that could present itself at almost anytime. Be wary of activities that could lead to sparking fire as Hawaii enters the time of year that is still more at risk for wildfires. While there have been plenty of recent rain events throughout the state, it is very likely that severe drought season is on the horizon, with fire fuel loads now in higher supply. It takes only one spark.

Ken Pimlott, retired chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spoke recently in Honolulu. He agreed that pre-fire vegetation management work is a necessary action to reducing the risks of fire as we enter this more fire-prone season.

Ken Pimlott - retired chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection speaks in Honolulu about the current fire risks we are facing.

Check out this very informative article by Big Island Now to get the scoop on what the technical specialists have been discussing in the realm of wildfire.

From the Source at Big Island Now:

Michael Walker, state fire forester for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), repeated a common refrain, “Like everywhere else in the west, Hawai‘i does not have a specific fire season. It used to be we geared up for battling wildland fires in late summer and early fall, as those times historically were the most common times for big fires. Driven by our changing, warming climate, fire season here in the islands, like in all western states on the mainland, is now year around.”

Clay Trauernicht, a wildland fire specialist with the University of Hawai‘i’s Cooperative Extension Service traces how the potential for wildland fire has steadily grown over the years.

Trauernicht explained, “Agriculture and ranching declines have left us with about one million acres of non-native grasses and shrubs statewide. This vegetation is incredibly prone to burning during drought. Clearing and cleaning up the brush on your property is critical for the safety of your family, home, and our firefighters. On top of this, we have some of the highest frequencies of fire starts in the US. About 75% of those ignitions are accidental, which means they can be prevented. So take care with campfires, BBQs, using machinery and running cars over and around dry grass. We also see big spikes in wildfires around the holidays… ”

Hawaii County firefighters get a generous donation of a new tanker

Hawaii County Fire Department has been gifted an amazing machine to assist in fighting fire. This “Bulldog Tanker” will help firefighters on Hawaii island traverse rugged terrain easier while suppressing fires. A wonderful gift from the Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation.

From the source:

(HawaiiNewsNow) -Hawaii county firefighters blessed a brand new Bulldog tanker this weekend.

It’s the first of its kind in the state.

The Howe and Howe Technology Fire tanker was donated by the Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation at a cost of $313,000.

The foundation said an anonymous donor wanted to give back after firefighters saved their home from an 18,000 acre brush fire in South Kohala.

Kauai fire crews handle brush fire that forced evacuations in Poipu

There were evacuations in Poipu yesterday afternoon due to a brushfire sparked at 3:45 pm.

From the source:

At one point, dozens of firefighters and three helicopters were working to extinguish the fire. Strong winds pushed the flames toward Koloa, though no structures were immediately threatened. With the dry brush and steady trade winds, it was enough to make residents uneasy.

“The houses down below us will be the biggest concern because a couple of years ago, a couple of houses burned from a brush fire in the same exact area coming through,” resident Aaron Hoff said.

The evacuation order for residents along Kipuka Street has since been lifted and an emergency shelter at the Koloa Neighborhood Center was set to have closed at about 9:30 p.m.  Poipu Road also reopened opened shortly after. So far there are no reports of injuries. No estimation on how many acres have burned so far.

Spark from hammer caused California's largest wildfire, agency says

The Mendocino Fire Burned for weeks before it was contained.

The Ranch Fire was Californiaʻs largest wildfire at 410,203 acres, and It was started from one tiny spark. The Mendicino Fire Complex that raged during the summer of last year was multiple fires that ignited at the same time in close proximity, heavily taxing all fire suppression resources in the area. 280 structures were destroyed in the fire complex, and the biggest fire in the dual-fire incident started due to a single spark.

From the source:

(CNN) The Ranch Fire, the largest wildfire in California history in terms of acres burned, was caused by a spark or hot metal fragment that came from a hammer driving a metal stake into the ground, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"After a meticulous and thorough investigation, CAL FIRE has determined that the Ranch Fire was caused by a spark or hot metal fragment landing in a receptive fuel bed," the news release said.

Read More about the Mendicino Fire Complex here

Firefighters Battle Multiple Fires Across O'ahu Monday

Oahu brushfires this Monday are a reminder that the dry season is underway, and the risks of wildfires are real.

From the Source:

A total of seven fire units responded to the brush fire near Kamehameha Highway and Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road.

At least four brush fires were reported in a three-hour period Monday afternoon.

Honolulu, Hawaii news, sports & weather - KITV Channel 4

Community Invited to Celebration of Life for HFD Veteran Killed in Crash

“David Mahon helps his son, Dylan, use a fire hose in this family photo. (Chris Anderson/Special to West Hawaii Today)”

As we mourn the tragic death of Captain David Alan Mahon we also celebrate his life and the many lives he touched. He will be missed.

We hope you can join the public celebration this weekend and help contribute to his memorial fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/dylan039s-future-fundin-loving-memory-of-dave-mahon

From the Source:

A public celebration of life will be held Saturday for veteran Hawaii Fire Department Capt. David Alan Mahon, 49, who was killed last week in a three-car crash on Mamalahoa Highway.

Mahon’s family and friends invite the community to a service that will open at 2 p.m. with a reception at the ballroom Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay.

40 Acre Wahiawa Brush Fire Contained After Reigniting

Credit: Star Advertiser

Just because a fire is contained, does not mean it can’t reignite. Always be vigilant of your surroundings.

From the Source:

A 40-acre brush fire in Wahiawa that reignited Saturday was called contained at 4 p.m. today, but some smoldering continued inside the perimeter.

The fire was found in the same area as a 525-acre blaze that started May 19 and was contained on Wednesday.

A change in wind direction Saturday may have set off the latest fire, according to Honolulu Fire Department officials.

As Dry Summer Season Nears, A Community is Working to Prevent Wildfires

Team Rubicon volunteers out in full force to help create a firebreak. Credit: Hawaii News Now

As a very fitting tribute to Memorial Day, a collaboration of people including military veterans from Team Rubicon, an international veteran service organization that uses disaster response to help reintegrate veterans back into civilian life, came out in full force to create a large firebreak around Kamilonui-Mariner’s Cove. The Firewise Community (the first ever on Oahu as of 2018!) of agricultural and residential lots in Hawaii Kai, has been working with HWMO for a couple of years now in an effort to create a more wildfire resilient community.

This weekend, as part of Wildfire Preparedness Day, we are seeing what it means to be fire-adapted: everyone playing a role to reduce wildfire risk. The Firewise committee consisting of local residents and farmers, Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui, and Livable Hawaii Kai Hui organized the work days; Team Rubicon volunteers are knocking back fire fuels; neighboring landowners provided access to the land and green waste hauling services; residents are feeding volunteers; and HWMO provided a hazard assessment, continual guidance through the Firewise Communities process, and a $2,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service. We are so grateful to everyone who is helping out to make Kamilonui - Mariner’s Cove a model for community-driven wildfire protection on Oahu and for the rest of the Hawaiian Islands!

From the Source:

This Memorial Day weekend, hard-working volunteers are helping out homeowners worried about the threat of wildfires. They started creating a new firebreak on Saturday near Mariner’s Cove.

With the help of a hazard assessment from the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, the community came up with an action plan.

With moderate drought conditions across the state, wildfire experts are concerned about this summer.

“During those El Nino periods, we actually see significant increases in wildfire ignitions, but also in the amount of area that burns so we’re defintiely very worried this summer,” said Pablo Beimler, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization’s community outreach coordinator.

“It’s like black and white, like a swarm of bees come in here and sort of take over, start in five different spots and just continue on down. It’s really amazing,” said homeowner Dick Johnson.

Roads Closed in Kapolei as Firefighters Battle Brush Fire Near Renton Road

Traffic camera view of the wildfire. Credit: Hawaii News Now

El Nino fire season is kicking into full gear. Be #WildfireReadyHI

From the Source:

Police officers have closed several roads in the vicinity of the intersection of Renton Road and Kapolei Parkway as firefighters battle a brush fire in the area.

The flames were first reported just after 11:30 a.m. Friday morning.

Drought Kicks In - Wildfires Already on Kauai

Waimea Canyon Fire, 2017. Credit: The Garden Island / Mark Stainaker

Drought conditions are kicking in across the Hawaiian Islands, including on Kauai, where multiple brushfires have already burned. 75% of wildfires in Hawaii occur when the drought monitor is lit up. Now is the time to be ready using your Ready, Set, Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide and Wildfire LOOKOUT! tools.

From the Source:

While recovery from April 2018 floods continues on the North Shore, the Westside is looking at severe drought conditions through September.

“We’re already seeing agriculture impacts, especially for the ranchers and we’re expecting a more active brushfire season,” said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrologist, Kevin Kodama in a Wednesday press conference.

Firefighters Struggle to Contain Large Wahiawa Fire Along Kaukonahua Road

Wahiawa Fire. Credit: KITV4

From the Source:

Honolulu firefighters are working to contain a growing brush fire that has scorched roughly 375 acres in Wahiawa.

One driver reported seeing thick smoke in the area.

“I was coming down Kaukonahua Road and it was just completely smoke. You could see it coming from Wahiawa. But as you got further down, you could see it -- like plumes of smoke coming up,” Cora Pierce said as she watched the smoke billow.

HFD said windy conditions, accessibility and steep terrain have been major challenges.