Kunia Brush Fire That Got Dangerously Close to Homes Now Contained

Credit: @katiepuananin/Twitter

Big mahalo to firefighters for keeping the Kunia fire that burned hundreds of acres last Thursday from igniting homes. Rather than waiting for the last minute and staying to defend a home with a garden hose, the best way you can protect your home is by preparing far in advance of a wildfire. Check out Wildfire Lookout! and Ready Set Go! Hawaii Wildland Fire Action Guide for tips on how to best prepare for wildfire.

From the Source:

"The blaze first sparked around 11:42 a.m., and nearly 50 firefighters worked to put out the the flames, both by air and in several areas on the ground. Smoke could be seen for miles.

Residents also used hoses to wet dry brush.

'It's scary. Big flames!' said resident Shaylin Eligio, earlier in the day. 'It didn't look that bad, but now it is.'

Blustery winds helped the flames jump Kunia Road and race across patches of dry brush. 

In some areas, the flames got within 30 feet of area homes, residents said. No homes were evacuated because of the fire, but several residents opted to leave the area voluntarily because of heavy smoke."

Burnt Vehicle Found Near Center of Paia Fire

Screenshot of Maui Now YouTube video.

From the Source:

Firefighters responded to a brush fire in a fallow sugar cane field about a half-mile south of Baldwin Avenue, near the old Pāʻia Sugar Mill on Wednesday night.

A burnt vehicle was found near the center of the scorched brush, but fire officials say it’s unclear whether the vehicle was involved in the starting of the fire.

Teamwork Extinguishes Kaanapali Brush Fire

Map of Kaanapali. Google Maps

Although the Kaanapali Hillside fire yesterday came close to homes, a collaborative effort amongst firefighters, large landowners, and public works employees made all the difference in protecting homes. 

From the Source:

"A brush fire mauka of Kaanapali Hillside burned 7 acres and came to about 50 feet of the nearest homes before being doused by firefighters Wednesday afternoon, a fire official said."

"Two helicopters and crews from Lahaina, Napili and Wailea and tankers from Lahaina and Kahului, a hazmat unit from Kahului and a battalion chief were called to battle the blaze, Taomoto said. Firefighters received help from Kaanapali Coffee Farms, which provided a bulldozer; West Maui Land Co., which provided a water tanker; and the county Public Works Department, which also provided a tanker."

French Riviera: 12,000 Flee Bushfires as Planes Waterbomb Popular Tourist Coast

"An aerial view shows plumes of smoke on the outskirts of Bormes-les-Mimosas." Credit: Nadine Achoui-Lesage/AP

We are wishing for the safety of all those in harm's way in France (as well as Portugal and Italy). 

From the Source:

"Backed by planes dropping water and fire retardant, more than 1,000 firefighters are battling bushfires billowing smoke into the sky over France's southern Cote d'Azur, forcing the evacuation of at least 12,000 people.

The blaze was the latest of several wind-whipped fires ravaging forest and scrubland on the hills and slopes that spill into the Mediterranean Sea.

France's Prime Minister, visiting the area, predicted a grim day ahead.

Large swaths of Mediterranean forest had been left bare and blackened after three days of fires. About 250 trailer homes, a hangar, an atelier and several vehicles were burned in the blazes, but no-one had been injured so far, the prefect of the Var region said."

"In central Portugal on Wednesday, billowing smoke made visibility too poor to use water-dropping aircraft on the region's flaming pine and eucalyptus forests. More than 2,300 firefighters with more than 700 vehicles battled 13 blazes, with flames driven by powerful winds.

In Italy, where wildfires have raged for weeks, firefighters responded to 26 requests for water and fire retardant air crops on Tuesday throughout central and southern Italy, including Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia, Lazio and Puglia.

The Coldiretti agriculture lobby said 50 million bees were destroyed along with their hives in fires on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Coldiretti said another 20 per cent of the bee population is estimated to have become disoriented by all the smoke and died as a result."

Devastating California Detwiler Fire Can Be Seen From Space

Screenshot - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R Series via Storyful

Satellites have many uses and functions. Did you know they could also aid in firefighting?

From the Source:

"One of the largest recent fires in California has been the Detwiler fire. Since it began on July 16, the blaze has burned across 80,000 acres, destroyed 63 residences, and threatened nearly 1,500 more. Thousands of people have had to evacuate their homes, more than 2,000 firefighters have been deployed, and the fire has also come perilously close to Yosemite National Park."

"The images are not quite like those from a typical camera or what one would see with the naked eye if one were circling the Earth. The special images are instead created by overlaying infrared images onto geocolor, the Earth-like colors produced by the 16 spectral bands aboard the satellite. GOES-R's images are essentially a heat map created using the satellite's different spectral bands to detect the fire's hot spots.

In addition to helping firefighters monitor blazing fires, GOES-R has also been used to monitor other potentially disastrous weather. Earlier this month, the satellite captured images of three tropical storms in the eastern Pacific, tornado cells in Iowa, and a solar eruption."

$5K Reward Still Offered for Info Leading to Arrest, Conviction in Arson Cases

"Officials asked for the public’s help to end a string of suspicious fires in North Kona and South Kohala in 2016." Credit: State Department of Land and Natural Resources

Arson is no laughing matter. The lives and safety of firefighters are put at risk when a fire ignites. Our land and waters take a hit. Our families and homes are put in harm's way. 

From the Source:

“Anytime firefighters go out to unnecessary fires, it takes away from something else they could be doing and eats up funding,” Laura Mallery-Sayre, co-founder of the foundation.

"In March 2016, the foundation and fire department renewed attention to the fund after about a dozen suspicious fires flared up in West Hawaii.

Since Rosario became chief in 2011, he said, there have been no convictions in arson wildfires.

'They’re hard to solve because we really rely on eye-witness statements,' he said."

"The public is encouraged to report any suspicious activity that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspected arsonist(s).

Rosario encouraged residents to report vehicles and license plate numbers if seen parked along the highway where it’s not a normal place to park. Throwing something out of the vehicle could also cause an intentional fire.

The chief said arsonists will also take to social media."

From Forest Failure to Restoration Success in 20 Years

"The dark green patches of land are the result of a 20-year dryland forest restoration project on ʻUlupalakua Ranch lands in Auwahi, Maui." Credit - Dr. Art Medeiros

Collaboration and community volunteers play a crucial role in reviving Hawaii's disappearing native dryland forests, of which there are less than 3% left. We are inspired by all those involved in the Auwahi Forest Restoration Project. Restoring native forests means restoring our watersheds, which reduces wildfire and flood risk. 

From the Source:

“Why should people be concerned about dry forests? They’re identified as one of the world’s biological hotspots just for the number of species that occur there and nowhere else,” says Medeiros,”Culturally it’s really special too. It’s the last stronghold for many Hawaiian trees that were super important to the early Hawaiians.”

“If we lose the plants, to me, we use the colors and the perfumes and even the ability to make things out of the wood.”

Kauai Firefighters Put in Over 400 Hours of Training a Year

Credit: Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Everyday, we must count our blessings for having not only brave, but very skilled firefighters on our islands. Kauai Fire Department firefighters alone log over 400 hours of training each year, training that spans everything from "first responder training and fire operations to extraction, rope rescue, swift water rescue and hazmat."

From the Source:

“The skill set is great, and we don’t always use them,” he said. “We say the skills are perishable — if you don’t use it, they tend to fade on you. But again, it’s muscle memory and practice. Not just the formal practicing of coming to a workshop, but practicing in the field.”

"A lot of the scenarios firefighters train for are low frequency, high risk — meaning they don’t happen a lot, but when they do, it can have a dramatic effect on those involved, Vaughan said."

HFD Extinguishes Two Separate Brush Fires in Waipio, North Shore

"HFD responds to an area near the Patsy Mink Park." Credit- Hawaii News Now

We are glad to hear homes and people were safe after Honolulu Fire Department was able to keep the blaze near Patsy Mink Regional park away from homes. It was a close call though and we are just in the beginning of peak fire season. Be prepared and have a plan!

From the Source:

"At one point, witnesses say windy conditions pushed the large flames close to homes and HPD evacuated nearby residents. Luckily, HFD extinguished the flames before any homes were damaged."

Fire Scorches Five Acres in Former Wailuku Macadamia Nut Fields

Credit: Anthony Procter / Contributed to Hawaii News Now

Agricultural lands that are turning fallow are a major contributor to the increase in wildfire activity across the state, especially on Maui. Access was very limited due to overgrown and narrow dirt roads. Keeping lands active and managed can help firefighters in a number of ways, including having access roads maintained, reducing large areas of flammable vegetation, and having extra fire suppression equipment on the scene.

From the Source:

"According to Maui fire officials, firefighters were dispatched around 1:40 p.m. to an area mauka of Kahekili Highway between Makaala Drive and Waiehu Beach Road.  

Heavy smoke was seen in the area as narrow dirt roads and over-grown brush made it difficult for crews to access the flames.

Once they reached the fire, crews worked into the night to fully extinguish the flames. It was fully extinguished just after 5 p.m., and deemed 100 percent contained just after 11 p.m."

Wildfires Rage Through British Colombia, Forcing 40,000 From Their Homes

"The Boston Flats trailer park was destroyed by a wildfire in Boston Flats, British Columbia, Canada on Monday."

We are hoping for the best for our brothers and sisters in Canada as firefighters face a tough fight and residents evacuate and face the threat of losing their homes. Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes from the blazes.

From the Source:

"Wildfires are spreading rapidly across the Canadian province of British Columbia, so far eluding firefighters and forcing some 40,000 people from their homes. And with no rain in the forecast until Thursday, Canadian officials fear the fires currently raging will worsen before they can battle back the blazes."

"'You think you're all ready until it comes down to it. You feel panic, you don't know what to do,' Williams Lake resident Britanni Erlandson tells the Vancouver Sun."

Three Fires Near Upper Road Suspected Arson

Highway 190 Fire in March 2016. Credit: Bret Yager / West Hawaii Today

Arson is a serious crime. Call HPD at 935-3311 if you have information on these fires.

From the Source:

"Three brush fires ignited on Highway 190 over the weekend appear to be connected, officials confirmed Monday afternoon. 

The cluster of blazes occurred on Saturday and Sunday just outside Kailua-Kona. The first was discovered at about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at about mile marker 29 on Mamalahoa Highway, or upper road. The second was hours later at 7:45 p.m. a half mile up the road.

The third fire was spotted Sunday at 1:35 p.m. at mile marker 30."

"The Hawaii Fire Department battled a rash of arson fires in the same area early last year, said Battalion Chief Darwin Okinaka."

Waiehu Brushfire Off Kahekili Highway

Credit: James Herbstman / Contributor to Maui Now

Be on the Wildfire Lookout!, Maui.

From the Source:

"Maui firefighters are responding to a report of a brush fire off of the Kahekili Highway in Waiehu.

The fire was first reported at around 2 p.m. on Monday, July 17, 2017.  Initial reports indicate the fire is about 3 acres in size.

A Maui Fire Department helicopter has been dispatched to the scene to conduct water drops from air."

Witnesses Recount Waimea Blaze

Aerial view of Waimea fire. Credit: Hawaii Fire Department

We want to mahalo again the efforts of first responders for their efforts in keeping Waimea residents as safe as possible during the 2,000-plus acre brushfire. The number one priority is lives and safety and no people were injured during what could have been a much more destructive fire. However, we wish for a quick recovery for those impacted by the fire, including the woman who lost her home during the fire, Ms. Lindsey-Barkley who lost a couple sheep, and Parker Ranch who lost a great deal of water line and fencing. Many pets and livestock were evacuated safely during the fire. Having a pet and livestock evacuation plan is an important addition to your evacuation plan. You can find some of this information and more on wildfire readiness in the Ready Set Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide.

From the Source:

"The woman said she went back to the house to save her animals: two cats, a dog and a bunny. 

The resident said the owner of the land has 25 head of cattle and two horses. All were safely evacuated."

"Nahua Guilloz, senior manager for the ranch, said 11,000 linear feet of above-ground water line and 400 feet of linear fencing were burned."

Park Officials Seek Witnesses to Volcanoes National Park Campground Fire

Credit: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

We have already lost much of our native forests for various reasons, wildfire being one of the major contributors. We cannot lose any more of them. 

“'With a hot and dry summer upon us, we’re definitely at an increased risk for fire in the park and across the island,' said Hawaii Volcanoes National Park fire management officer Greg Funderburk. 'It’s important to remember that while parts of the island might be getting rainfall, other areas are very dry and quite susceptible to fire.'

"Fire officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are seeking witnesses to a fire that burned about a quarter-acre of native koa and ohia forest behind a cabin at Namakanipaio Campground Tuesday afternoon."

"An investigation is underway. Witnesses and anyone with information about the fire are encouraged to call Park Dispatch at 808-985-6170. Callers may remain anonymous."

Haleakala Seeks Volunteers for Pine Pulling Project

Three non-native pine species (Monterey pine, Mexican weeping pine, and maritime pine) are highly invasive. PC: Haleakalā NP.

Great volunteer event this Saturday, July 15, to help reduce the fire threat at Haleakala National Park. 

From the Source:

"Three non-native pine species (Monterey pine, Mexican weeping pine, and maritime pine) are highly invasive. Rangers say they displace endemic and endangered species, change soil chemistry, and increase the potential for wildfire in habitats not adapted to fire. Park staff, partners, and volunteers periodically pull young pines to keep them from spreading throughout the park."

Crews Extinguish Waikele Brushfire in Central Oahu Regional Park

Credit: Terry Reis / KHON2 Contributor

The busy summer continues for firefighters on Oahu. This time it was a five acre fire headed towards Waikele in Central Oahu Regional Park. Do you have everything you need to be Wildfire Ready? Check out Wildfire Lookout! for wildfire readiness tips.

From the Source:

"The call came in at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday from Central Oahu Regional Park.

Smoke was reported by the archery range, and when crews arrived, they found a small fire moving toward Waikele."

Clean-Up Efforts Underway in Waimea Following 2,200 Acre Brush Fire

"Land is visibly charred near Highway 190 in Waimea Saturday. Friday's runaway brush fire Friday burned 2,200-acres, destroyed a home and closed the highway for several hours." Credit: Tom Callis / Hawaii Tribune Herald

Our hearts go out to the residents who lost their home during Friday's runaway brushfire in Waimea that burned 2,200 acres of land. Fortunately, no one was injured but one lost home affects our whole community. We also wish Parker Ranch the best for its recovery after losing several miles of water line and fencing and other infrastructure (as well as grazing land). Parker Ranch has been a long-time partner of HWMO's and they are a major event sponsor for the upcoming Firefighter Chili Cook-Off benefit on August 26th. 

From the Source:

“'As to why it started, and how it started, we don’t know. We have a burn ban in West Hawaii, so no one should be burning anything, so on that part, it’s illegal, but I don’t think it was an intentionally set brush fire.'"

"'It burned around (2,200 acres), and we’re expecting most of that to be ours,” Guilloz said. 'We had several miles of water line burned and fencing as well that has been burned. They were able to save most of our water tanks, but right now we’re still (assessing).'"

Paia Brush Fire Considered Suspicious, Homes Threatened

"Neighbors reported seeing kids running from the open field just before the fire broke out. The fire was stopped about 10-feet short of the home on Ulumau Place in Pāʻia. PC: 7.9.17 Maui Fire Department."

Mahalo Maui firefighters for protecting homes from the fire. It is peak fire season. Be prepared by being on the Wildfire Lookout!

From the Source:

"A total of two acres were scorched in Sunday’s fire. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.

Fire officials say a total of about six homes were threatened on Ulumau Place. Some residents on Ulumau Place and Maoli Place were evacuated briefly, but were let back into their homes after fire crews got the fire knocked down soon after.

Maui Fire services Chief Edward Taomoto said the cause of the fire was undetermined but is considered suspicious. Neighbors reported seeing children running from the open field just before the fire broke out."

Firefighters Battle Wildfires Across the Western U.S. and Canada

TIME video screen capture

Another day to be thankful for firefighters and all they do in yet another busy wildfire season across the continent. Remember to GO! early if I fire is in your area. Leaving early alleviates traffic jams, creates safer access for firefighters, and prevents valuable first response resources from being used for search and rescue efforts. Hawaii residents, more information available in the Ready, Set, Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide and Wildfire Lookout!  

"Firefighters on Monday made progress against wildfires burning across numerous states in the hot, dry West.

That included California, where slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds helped firefighters as they battled several wildfires that have forced thousands to flee their homes in both ends of the state."