10 Acre Brush Fire in Kona Shuts Down Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Henry Street

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Credit: Luahiwa Lee Loy Namahoe / KHON2

With the entire Big Island currently in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, a busy spring and summer may lie ahead for our firefighters. Lighten your landscaping through the recommendations made in the ReadySetGo! Wildland Fire Action Guide this spring and make sure to take action this Wildfire Preparedness Day, May 6! You can enter our statewide contest by posting your photos to social media with #wildfirereadyhawaii or by submitting your photos to admin@hawaiiwildfire.org.

From the Source:

"A fire across 10 acres of brush makai of Queen Kaahumanu Highway shut down southbound lanes on that road and a stretch of Henry Street for part of Thursday afternoon.

No injuries or structural damage was reported as a result of the blaze, said West Hawaii Battalion Chief Brian Cushnie."

Advancing FAC in Hawaii: Increasing Awareness, Thinking Both Short and Long Term and...Goats?

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In 2015, we began working with several communities statewide on grassroots-level community wildfire protection efforts, primarily through Firewise’s communities recognition program. Only a few years later, we’re happy to say that our communities are seeing some great success! Find out how HWMO and its partners are working with communities to advance Fire Adapted Community goals in the latest highlight on the FAC Learning Network blog.

From the Source:

"These recommendations have already encouraged Firewise committees to start thinking outside of the box. For example, two years ago, Waikoloa Village received a fuels reduction grant from the USDA Forest Service. The village used the funds to hire a goat-grazing contractor to reduce flammable vegetation on vacant lots. As phase two of the project, the community will be installing permanent fence posts to allow for more regular grazing. Eventually, they may transform these lots into a multi-use area where goats continue to graze and the community also grows citrus trees.

These communities are also engaging residents through outreach. A few months ago, the Launiupoko Firewise committee sent over 300 copies of ReadySetGo! Wildland Fire Action Guides to residents. This spring, they will be hiring a contractor to remove flammable vegetation along an established bike path. Kahikinui, a small homestead in one of the most remote areas on Maui, worked tirelessly last year to engage neighboring large landowners and various agencies in their Firewise efforts. Their persistence and creativity led to a collaborative fuels mitigation project that received funding from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and a local wind farm."