Fun Fire Preparedness Education Day Planned at Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park on May 3

We made it onto a full page spread on North Hawaii News about our upcoming Wildfire Preparedness Day event at the Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park this Saturday, May 3rd!

From the Source: 

"Fire takes no holiday, and the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization is organizing a day of fire preparedness at the Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park in Waikoloa Village on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Melia Street in Waikoloa. Activities include a firefighter meet and greet, student-led garden tours, a keiki activity station, and a visit from Smokey the Bear. Wildfire preparedness workshops and guest speakers will also be on hand to teach community members how they can help prevent wildfires and protect their homes.

'It’s the first ever National Wildfire Preparedness Day,' said Pablo Beimler, education and outreach coordinator for Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization. 'The idea is to have communities from all over the nation participate in wildfire awareness and hold these events. This is a great way to show that Hawaii has wildfire issues and that communities are taking charge and getting involved.'

'Almost all of the fires in the state of Hawaii are from humans,' said Elizabeth Pickett, executive director of HWMO. 'Whether it’s intentional or accidental they’re all human caused. Preventing ignition is key. Fire goes where there’s fuel, and we consider fuel to be vegetation, leaf litter, tree debris, branches and anything that’s combustible. It’s important to maintain your landscaping. You want your house 10 feet clear of debris, dried grass, or brush. You want your grass short. You also want to harden your home. By that we mean converting as much as you can around your home to non-combustible building materials. For example replacing wood fences with stone, or replacing wooden shingles with metal roofing.'

Waikoloa is the most fire prone subdivision, not just on Hawaii Island, but in the entire state.

'Waikoloa is vulnerable to large-scale, destructive wildfires like the one in 2005 that could have wiped out the entire village,' said Beimler. 'The idea is to really ramp up our efforts in Waikoloa and let people know there are things they can do to protect their homes and prevent wildfires.'

HWMO is anxious about the upcoming fire season and hopes that educational events like National Wildfire Preparedness Day will help educate the community and subsequently prevent possible ignitions.

'With all the recent rain and all the recent vegetative growth, we are getting really nervous about the upcoming fire season,' said Pickett. 'There’s predicted drought conditions, and although we have a lot of rain right now, in the future it looks like the vegetation will likely dry out and it will be at high risk of wildfire. We want to get the message out early on.'

Research shows that Hawaii has a higher proportion of fire-prone acres than any of the 17 western-most states. HWMO educates the community by raising awareness through proactive planning and prevention efforts. They created the first and only fire preparedness demonstration garden in Hawaii, The Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park. The garden teaches community members how to reduce the impact of wildfires through defensible space, firewise landscaping and fire resistant building materials. This garden is primarily made up of low-maintenance, native Hawaiian species that are resistant to drought, wind, and heat.

'A fire can only go where things can burn,' said Pickett. 'The idea is to interrupt that process and make the fire go somewhere else - not straight toward your house. You can do that by managing your vegetation, your grass and your leaf litter. It’s important to do all that ahead of time so the fire can’t damage your home.'

The best defense against wildfire is preparation and prevention. Saturday’s event hopes to provide lessons that will assist the community with protecting their property.

HWMO is working with the following organizations to put on this event: Hawaii Fire Department, Waikoloa Community Association, Waikoloa Community Emergency Response Team, Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative, Waikoloa Outdoor Circle, and Malama Kai Foundation.

For more information contact, pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org or visit Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization at www.hawaiiwildfire.org."

Above: Community members from Waikoloa Village pose for a photo after hard work removing weeds from the garden on March 7 after a long period of rainfall. Credit - HWMO

Chile Wildfire Litters Questions in the Ash of Burned-Out Homes (AUDIO)

Economic inequality and lack of planning and infrastructure and how they may have contributed to the severe damage caused by the Valparaiso fire. 

From the Source: 

"In Chile, a fire that started in the hills above Valparaiso continues to burn. The blaze has killed 15 people and destroyed 2,500 homes in the area that surrounds Valparaiso. Reporter Alexandra Hall looks at some of those affected."

Brushfire South of Punaluu Beach Under Control

From the Source:

"County firefighters this morning continued to extinguish hot spots in a brush fire that blackened about 12 acres near Punaluu Beach Tuesday night.

Firefighters arriving at the scene at 6:03 p.m. Tuesday found a fire with a 75-foot front moving through brush and trees along the shoreline just south of the beach.

The fire was being driven by east-northeasterly winds of 25-35 mph, said fire Capt. Curt Yamashita of the Pahala Fire Station.

It took about two hours of efforts by personnel from the Pahala station and volunteer firefighters to get the fire under control.

Vehicles with off-road capabilities were used to suppress the head of the fire while other equipment was utilized to secure the roadway separating the shore from the SeaMountain Golf Course, and to keep the fire from the Colony One condominiums further mauka.

The cause of the fire was unknown, Yamashita said."

Above: "The coast south of Punaluu Beach, with Punaluu Beach Park at the far left."

Wildfires in West Increasing Burn Areas at Nearly One Denver Per Year, Study Finds

From the Source: 

"Just as wildfire season is getting off to a heated start, a new study has found that in the last 30 years in the western United States, both the number of fires and the area that they burn have increased. The study, published by the American Geophysical Union, looked at the 17-state region stretching from Nebraska to California. It found that wildfires over 1,000 acres in size increased by about seven fires a year from 1984 to 2011. It also found that the amount of area these fires burned increased each year at about 140 square miles, or 90,000 acres, per year — an area about the size of Las Vegas and nearly the size of Denver.

The researchers assert that these trends are likely due to climate change and associated shifts in rain patterns and temperature norms, rather than local factors. The study does not directly link the findings to human-caused climate change, but it says the observations fit well with the predictions of climate models for the region.

“We looked at the probability that increases of this magnitude could be random, and in each case it was less than one percent,” Philip Dennison, an associate professor of geography at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and lead author of the paper, said in a statement.

This is the first study to utilize high-resolution satellite data to look at wildfire trends across a variety of landscapes and ecoregions, according to the researchers. They used nine ecoregions, including forested mountains, deserts, and grasslands, and found that the rise in fire activity was strongest in areas like the Rocky Mountains, the southwest desert, and the southern plains in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. According to Dennison, these are the same regions that would be expected to experience more fire activity due to climate change."

Above: Courtesy of AP/Jae C. Hong

Pebre #FuerzaValpo

A wildfire doesn't just affect the communities that have lost their homes and livelihoods, it affects the whole region at large. There are always ways to help - here's how one group of people made a significant impact by feeding those in need.

Even if you don't understand Spanish, you can still understand the message of selflessness from the video.

Pebre #FuerzaValpo from Horno Feroz on Vimeo.

Wildfires Rage in Chile (VIDEO)

From the Source: 

"At least 16 people are dead from wildfires burning around the coastal town of Valparaiso, Chile.

Strong winds have fanned the flames, making it difficult for firefighters to stop the blaze from spreading to over 2,000 acres of steep terrain. Homes are mostly wood, often built on hillsides with narrow access roads and no fire hydrants.

The fires have so far destroyed roughly 2,000 homes, and displaced at least 10,000 people. Until the burning is controlled, local officials expect those numbers will continue to rise."

Above: Screen-capture from Time video.

Fire Destroys 2,000 Homes in Valparaiso (PHOTOS)

Stunning and quite chilling photos from the recent Valparaiso fires in Chile.

From the Source: 

"In the port city of Valparaiso, Chile, a massive fire started late Saturday. Fueled by strong winds, flames swept across hilly residential areas, destroying more than 2,000 houses and killing at least 12. Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the weekend and are still extinguishing isolated hot spots. Today, some Valparaiso residents are being allowed to return to their homes to assess the damage, recover what they can, and plan their next steps."

Above: "Embers are carried by high winds as a large forest fire reaches urban areas in Valparaiso, Chile, on April 13, 2014. Authorities say the fires destroyed thousands of homes, forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 and claimed the lives of at least 12 people." AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo.

Blaze in Chilean Port City Kills 12, Destroys 2,000 Homes

From the Source: 

"At least 12 people have been killed by a massive blaze in Chile's port city of Valparaiso famous for its UNESCO-listed historic center, authorities confirmed Monday. 

Chilean police said 12 people have been confirmed dead, 500 injured and more than 10,000 people evacuated.

Pushed by strong Pacific coast winds, the fire rampaged over 741 acres of hilly residential neighborhoods — destroying at least 500 homes. The cause of the fire, which began in woodland near the city late on Saturday, was being investigated.

Over 2,000 homes were destroyed in the city of 250,000 over the weekend. Valparaiso’s rolling hills and closely spaced houses, many of them made of wood, make it difficult to fight the flames. The city, part gritty port town and part bohemian retreat, has a large number of people living in poverty."

Above: "People look at smoke from a forest fire in Valparaiso city, northwest of Santiago April 12, 2014." Courtesy of Cesar Pincheira (Reuters). 

VIDEO: Navy and Guam Fire Department Partner to Extinguish Weekend Grass Fire

Wildfires continue to ravage Guam, further exposing the need to ramp up prevention and mitigation efforts there.  

From the Source: 

"Navy Sailors and civilian firefighters partnered with the Guam Fire Department to extinguish a grassfire that affected approximately 20 acres of land on Nimitz Hill April 5-6. 

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 deployed a MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter that conducted five daytime and five nighttime water drops while three U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) Fire and Emergency Services (FES) crews fought the fire on the ground alongside Guam Fire Department counterparts.

'The dedication and professionalism of the pilots and crew of HSC-25 attest to the Navy’s commitment to preserve life and property,' said Joint Region Marianas Chief of Staff Capt. Mark Scovill. 'The day and night trainings they consistently conduct around the island prepare the crew to respond to emergencies such as the recent grassfires.'

Continuous training proved beneficial to the community as the blaze was extinguished preventing evacuation of nearby residents and damage to structures."

Uploaded by pncnews on 2014-04-07.

Why Homes are Lost to Wildfire: This Forest Service Expert Says it's as Much a Sociopolitical Problem as it is Physical

Very interesting interview with the founder of the Firewise Communities Certification Program. Although some of the content doesn't quite apply to Hawaii, there are many lessons learned to gain from it.

From the Source: 

"Wildland fires are inevitable. And without homeowner engagement, without their participation in mitigating the problem, firefighters can't be effective. It's continuing a problem to have my own agency, federal agencies in general, and most fire departments in this country that deal with wildland fire issues, not be telling people that by and large, under the conditions that destroy lots of houses, we can't deal with this without your participation. It's about taking responsibility for the condition of your house, before the fire, because nobody else can. And it's not just the material that the house is made of, it's the condition that lends itself to potential ignition. It's a big maintenance issue too…

You don't have to eliminate fire from your property completely, but you have to keep flames from contacting your structure and you have to keep firebrands from having high ignition potential when they land on your house - because they will. Which means all of the fine fuels need to be gone from on and immediately around your house before fire season even starts. All flammable things need to be swept away from your house at least about five feet. The grass needs to be mowed immediately around the structure, but you don' t have to mow an acre.

You don't have to cut all the trees down, you just have to make sure they're not contacting each other, and they're not continuous with the wildland. Make sure fire on the surface can't easily burn up the tree and torch out, because that creates firebrands close to the house. I highly encourage hardwoods around the structure as a shield, they just don't support high-intensity fire, and can become a very, very good radiation barrier."

Above: "The wreckage of a burned structure sits near a surviving home after the 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire near Boulder, Colorado. The 7,000 acre fire claimed nearly 170 houses in the first days of the blaze. Several of the houses that were saved had properly prepared their land for the potential of wildfire, including building with fire resistant materials as well as preparing defensible, fuel-minimized spaces in the areas surrounding the structure." Credit: Matt Slaby/Luceo 

Hunters Suspected in Talofofo Fire: Smoke from Inarajan Blaze Shuts School

Brush and grass fires are becoming more and more frequent not just in Hawaii but also throughout the Pacific. Case and point, firefighters in Guam have responded to 70 grass fires in March alone! We are excited to be a part of Pacific Fire Exchangeʻs upcoming projects in Guam (and Palau and Yap) to address their wildfire issues and what can be done to mitigate them. 

From the Source: 

"Officials with the Guam Fire Department believe a fire that burned private land near Talofofo Falls Resort Park may have been started intentionally.

Firefighters battled that blaze and a separate fire in Inarajan yesterday afternoon.

The Inarajan fire burned a small area of land down the hill from Inarajan Middle School, prompting an evacuation of the campus…

Local and federal fire officials have called on residents for help in minimizing grass fires.

Artero has said residents shouldn't burn trash at their homes.

Guam's fire hazard rating currently is in critical and is expected to remain at that level for at least a few more months.

In March, firefighters responded to more than 70 grass fires.

Fire officials noted their belief that at least a few of those fires also were started by people."

Above: "Firefighter Roland Alcantra prevents a fire in Talofofo from spreading by snuffing out the flames. Yesterday, firefighters dealt with several small grass fires in Talofofo and Inarajan. Smoke from an Inarajan fire filled Inarajan Middle School, leading Department of Education officials to close the school early. Sean-Michael Davis/For Pacific Daily News"

Highlights of Hawaii's WUI-Funded Successes - July 2011 to June 2013

Mahalo to Western Forestry Leadership Coalition & Council of Western State Foresters for highlighting HWMO's WUI-funded successes! This is exciting to see given our effort with all of our partners to increase the visibility of Hawaii's wildfire issues and wildfire mitigation project accomplishments. 

From the Source: 

"Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) utilized funding from the Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program, matched with state dollars, to create fuelbreaks to protect communities."

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Wildfire Preparedness Day Project Funding Recipients Announced

We are very excited about being one of the twenty recipients of the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day project funding awards and want to thank State Farm for the generous contribution! Hope you can make it out to our event on May 3rd at the Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park at the end of Melia St. in Waikoloa Village.

From the Source:

"Over the past five weeks, I watched as entries for the nationwide Wildfire Community Preparedness Day project funding awards grew to represent twenty five states ranging from Florida to Alaska. Each project entry had the potential to become a recipient of $500 to be used for a preparedness related activity implemented on May 3, 2014 - with funding generously provided by State Farm. Every single project submission had its own distinct merits and each would make a significant contribution in reducing the wildfire risk in their respective communities.  The diverse range and scope of entries made the selection process extremely difficult and trying to narrow it down to only twenty was daunting.

Winning project recipients come from 15 states and cover an extremely wide range of demographics, community sizes and wildland/urban interface descriptions. 

If I can please get a drum roll, let me say that on behalf of NFPA and State Farm, I am honored to share with you the 2014 Wildfire Preparedness Day funding award recipients:  Fallbrook, CA; Quincy, CA; Valley Center, CA; Durango, CO; Chickamauga, GA; Kamuela, HI; Manhattan, KS; Nye, MT; Newcomerstown, OH; Brent, OK; Grants Pass, OR; La Pine, OR; North Myrtle Beach, SC; Tallassee, TN; Austin TX; Georgetown, TX; Etlan, VA; Castle Valley, UT; Ronald, WA and Spokane, WA.

Huge congratulations to them all!

The nationwide grassroots efforts being coordinated for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day demonstrates the efforts thousands of communities are committed to making in reducing their wildfire risk, the impacts of a recent wildfire, or advancing preparedness efforts."

Wildfire Preparedness Day 2014

Thank you to the Waikoloa Breeze for highlighting our upcoming event: Wildfire Preparedness Day 2014 at the Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park at the end of Melia St. in Waikoloa!

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