Firefighters Sign 'Let it Go' to Calm Scared Child During Rescue (VIDEO)

Another example of how wonderfully adaptable, clever, and humorous firefighters can be! A nice break from the grim fire outlooks.

From the Source:

"These Massachusetts firemen found a unique (and adorable) way to soothe a little girl while rescuing her and her family from a stuck elevator shaft.

Last week, Kaelyn Kerr, 4, was headed to a hair appointment with her mother and baby brother when they become trapped in an elevator, Today reported. The only way out was up a ladder and over a high wall, and little Kaelyn became frightened.

That's when one of the firefighters began talking to the child about the hit Disney movie "Frozen" to distract her, and the other played the famous song from the film, "Let It Go," on his cell phone. Soon, they were both serenading Kaelyn.

"It worked, we got her to a point where she was comfortable with us and up the ladder we went, right up and over, no problem," firefighter John Keough said to Fox 59."

Above: Courtesy of Huffington Post

Firefighters Battle Brush Fire in Wahiawa

From the Source:

"Honolulu firefighters are battling a brush fire in Wahiawa in the mountains above Helemano. Officials say the fire first sparked on state property last week, two-and-a-half miles past the end of the road at Helemano Military Reservation.

Officials say the fire, which is currently an acre in size, is still smoldering.

City and federal firefighters and the Division of Forestry and Wildlife will work until dusk to put it out."

Credit - KHON2

Cal Fire Begins Defensible Space Inspections Early Because of Drought (VIDEO)

It's never too early to take preventative measures, especially considering the predicted giant wildfire season this year. Contact us at Hawaii Wildfire if you would like us to conduct a defensible space home assessment.  

From the Source:

"Cal Fire has battled more than 650 fires so far this year, more than triple the average, as a result of the dry conditions from the drought.

Normally, the total number of fires in January and February is 200, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire started inspecting homes in high-risk areas this week, ensuring people are maintaining at least 100 feet of defensible space around their homes.

'This year, we’re doing that several months earlier because of that increased fire threat that we’ve been seeing across the state,' spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

Fire inspectors are asking people to remove flammable vegetation, space out trees and plants and trim branches, among other things, to create a buffer zone around their homes and to help out firefighters."

Above: Courtesy of KCRA

Rains Ease California Drought, Make Wildfire Outlook Grimmer

Hawai'i is facing a similar issue, especially on the leeward sides. The lush greens emerging from mauka to makai may look beautiful, but once they dry out, they will become large loads of fuel for potential wildfires.

From the Source:

"The cruel irony is that the much-needed moisture may end up making a wildfire season expected to be catastrophic even worse than it would have been if the region had stayed completely dry. 

'The initial impact will be to dampen the immediate impact of fires,' said Drought Monitor author Brad Rippey, a meteorologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.. 'But this rain will be enough to promote spring growth of vegetation that may otherwise have been dormant because of the drought. There may actually be more to burn, at least the lighter fuels, than if it had stayed dry all the way through.'

Grasses will sprout and grow because of the rains, then they’ll quickly dry out and provide easy fuel for a major wildfire, he said."

Above: Courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor

HWMO's 5 Tips for the Upcoming Fire Season

Check out our latest PSA regarding how you can prepare for the upcoming fire season, courtesy of the Waikoloa Breeze. 

From the Source:

"There’s no prettier time to be living in Hawaii with the recent powdery snowfall on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and the hills becoming greener and greener each passing day. However, through our fire prevention lenses, there’s no better time to be mindful of the buildup of flammable vegetation that will pose a significant fire threat in the upcoming fire season. Here are five things to do around your home to reduce wildfire risk:

- Limb your trees to within at least 6 feet off the ground to reduce “ladder fuels.”
- Remove leaf litter and other debris that accumulate around the building, under vegetation, in gutters, and other collection areas.
- Weed around the property regularly, especially areas that a lawn mower is not appropriate for (tall dry grasses, rocky terrain, etc.)
- Remove flammable materials from underneath the house, decks, porches, and lanai.
- Plant native, drought-tolerant plants around your home. By doing so, you can beautify your property while also protecting your home from wildfire ignition and spread, perpetuating an important natural and cultural resource, and requiring less maintenance. For examples of plants we recommend, you can visit our garden at the end of Melia St. "

View fullsize

Click the photo above to get a better view.

Hapuna Gets Beach Clean Up Station

Our young, enthusiastic Waikoloa Garden care-takers and fire experts from Ocean Warriors (Malama Kai Foundation) help install Beach Clean Up Stations at Hapuna Beach State Park. Mahalo for your hard work!

From the Source:

"The wooden boxes contain heavy foil coffee bags, typically tossed by coffee shops but repurposed as garbage bags for beach users to pick up and fill with refuse. Pictures, drawn by area students, decorate the outside. Each station costs about $300 to make and install, Iglehart said.Maintaining the boxes, particularly replenishing the stock of coffee bags, is a task that will fall to volunteers. Several groups of volunteers have already stepped up, Iglehart said, including the Malama Kai Foundation’s Ocean Warriors project, which designed and built the boxes, collected the coffee bags, designed and printed informational signs and created the artwork to decorate the boxes. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel has been saving coffee bags for about a year to donate to the project, Iglehart said.

Several other community groups and some high school students in South Kohala have expressed interest in helping restock the boxes, she added.

'It has been such a fun and rewarding opportunity for the Ocean Warriors students to be involved in a project that highlights their involvement in marine protection and their artwork, and also provides important information to members of their own community about how most marine debris begins as beach litter — something we can do our part to help,' Malama Kai Foundation’s Elizabeth Pickett said in an email."

Above: "Kahu L. Kalani Souza does some mele (music) while conducting the blessing ceremony for the pilot Hawaiian Islands Beach Clean Up Stations at Hapuna Beach State Park Friday afternoon." Credit - West Hawaii Today

My Job: Battling Invasive Species in Hawaii

System planner for the Hawaii Natural Area Reserves System, Emma Yuen, mentions wildfire as one of the biggest challenges that Hawaii faces.

From the Source:

"Biggest Challenge: The environment is often underfunded and there is enormous pressure from invasive species and wildfire in Hawaii."

"Quote: Hawaii’s forests are not only beautiful and important for tourism, but they are critical for stopping erosion and retaining our water supply, economic benefits that a lot of people don’t know about.”

Article link no longer available.

Above: Emma Yuen - Photo: David Croxford