Maui Crews Battle 40-60 Acre Brush Fire in Puukolii

Mahalo to the speedy response of our firefighters. Remember, it's wildfire season - make sure you have at least two ways out of every room in your house and to map them out on paper!

From the Source: 

"Maui fire crews are working to douse a brush fire reported mauka of the Honoapiʻilani Highway in the area of Puʻukoliʻi in West Maui.
The fire was reported at around 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014.

Fire crews say air units are on scene conducting water drops and ground crews are dealing with windy conditions in the area."

Above: "Puʻukoliʻi fire, 9/9/14." Credit - Lada Murphy

Maalaea Brush Fire Burns 30 Acres

Wildfire season is here - stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings!

From the Source: 

"Firefighters remain on the scene of a brush fire in Māʻalaea that burned at least 30 acres on Tuesday morning.

Fire officials say the blaze was first reported at 9:14 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, on the mauka side of the Honoapiʻilani Highway in an area of brush on the mountain slope.

Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga said the fire was about 85% contained by 11:30 a.m."

Above: "Brush fire near Māʻalaea that burned 30 acres." Credit - Rick Nunyah

Fireworks Implicated in First of Two Kahului Fires

Find out more about fireworks safety guidelines, so we can help prevent these types of wildfires.

From the Source: 

"Two fires in Kahului burned a total of 3.5 acres on the 4th of July public holiday, fire officials reported.

Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga said the first fire occurred near the Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course restaurant. While working the Maui Lani brush fire, fire fighters were alerted to another brush fire at nearby Mahaolu and Hoomuku Streets.

Engine companies from Kahului, Wailuku, Makawao, and Air-1 arrived to an area east of the restaurant, with approximately 3 acres of dry brush involved in fire.

The first fire was called under control at 12:20 p.m.

Crews were reported as still on scene as of mid-afternoon conducting mop up operations.

Fire officials reported that no structures were threatened and no damages were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to be fireworks related. Evidence of fireworks were found on scene during the investigation.

In the Mahaolu and Hoomuku Street fires, fire officials say crews responded and arrived to find an area about a half acre in size involved. This fire was also called under control at 12:20 pm and called extinguished at 12:52 p.m. No damages or injuries were reported. The cause of the second fire is undetermined and is still under investigation."

Above: "Fires near the Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course" Credit: Bino Melendez Jr. 

Cambra and Ayakawa Promoted to Battalion Chief

Congratulations are in order for Maui Fire Department's newest Battalion Chiefs. Ho'omaika'i 'ana!

From the Source: 

"Maui County Fire Chief Jeffrey Murray today announced the promotion of Captains Wayne Cambra and Ryan Ayakawa to the rank of Battalion Chief.

Cambra is a 24 year veteran of the department, serving as a Firefighter I at the Wailuku and Lānaʻi Fire Stations.

In 1999, he was promoted to Firefighter III, Apparatus Operator, spending three years in the Training Bureau, and five years at the Wailuku Fire Station.

Cambra is currently assigned to the Wailuku Fire Station 2nd Battalion, B Watch.

Ayakawa also joined the department in 1990, serving initial assignments at the Lahaina and Kīhei Fire Stations.

After eight years as a Firefighter 1, he was promoted to the Rescue Company, and was promoted again in 2000 to a Firefighter 3 at the Lahaina Station.

Ayakawa also served for the last nine years as a captain, working at both the Nāpili and Lahaina Fire Stations.

In announcing the promotions, Chief Murray said that both men are well deserving and also bring experience, energy, and competence to their new positions.

Cambra and Ayakawa will officially start their new positions on July,1, 2014."

Above: "Wayne Cambra (left) and Ryan Ayakawa (right)." Credit: MFD

West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan Signed

We'd like to thank those who came out for the signing event and of course, everyone who contributed to the Western Maui CWPP. Lahaina News covered the event in this article today:

From the Source: 

"Maui County Fire Chief Jeffrey Murray and Wayne F. Ching, fire management officer for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNR-DOFAW), last week Thursday signed into action West Maui's first Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) at the Fire Prevention Bureau Office in Wailuku.Anna Foust, emergency management officer for the Maui County Civil Defense Agency, will also be a signatory but was not present at the event.

The West Maui Fire Task Force worked in partnership with the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization to develop the West Maui plan.

Collaborators of the CWPP within the West Maui Fire Task Force include DLNR-DOFAW and DLNR's Division of Aquatic Resources; Maui Fire Department; Maui County Department of Public Works, Planning Department and GIS Division; West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership; Ridge to Reef Initiative; Pu'u Kukui Preserve (Maui Land and Pineapple Company); Maui County Mayor's Office; and Maui Land and Development Company.

CWPPs have become a prerequisite for receiving federal funding for wildfire protection projects. The plan assists a community in identifying and prioritizing areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and supports communities to take action.

The plan assesses values at risk, such as safety, natural resource protection, recreation, scenic values and economic assets.

Through a collaborative process involving input from community members, resource management and firefighting agencies, CWPPs help bring wildfire hazard information, planning and action opportunities to all parties.

This plan will allow communities around Wailuku, Waikapu, Lahaina, Napili, Honokohau, Kahakuloa and Waihee to apply for federal funding for wildfire prevention and preparedness activities, such as public outreach and education, vegetation (fuels) management and wildfire suppression training.

'Many communities are developing disaster plans or long-range community plans, and the CWPP is meant to complement those plans. It will be a useful tool for community members to help make West Maui's neighborhoods and natural areas fire-safe,' explained Chief Murray."

Above: Attendees of the signing event, including Chief Murray and Wayne Ching at the table.

West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan Formalized

Amazing work by all of our partners and community members who made this thing happen! Couldn't have made it possible without you.

From the Source: 

"Starting today, the community of West Maui will be included in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Officials from the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, the Maui Civil Defense agency, and State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife will sign the agreement during a ceremony today.

The plan is a tool used as a prerequisite for receiving federal funding for wildfire protection projects.  It also assists the community in identifying and prioritizing areas for vegetation management, public outreach, and fire suppression training.

Areas covered by the Western Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan include Wailuku, Waikapū, Lahaina, Nāpili, Honokōhau, Kahakuloa, and Waihe‘e.

The plan was developed in partnership between the West Maui Fire Task Force and the nonprofit Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. Collaborators within the West Maui Fire Task Force include: the state Department of Land and Natural Resources – Division of Forestry and Wildlife and Division of Aquatic Resources; the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, the Maui County Department of Public Works, the Maui Planning Department and GIS Division, the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, the Ridge to Reef Initiative, Maui Pineapple Company’s Pu‘u Kukui Preserve, the Maui County Mayor’s Office, and Maui Land and Development Company.

In developing the plan, six community meetings were held where the public, agencies, and other interested parties provided input relating to wildfire concerns, recommended actions, and projects to prevent and prepare the region for wildfires.

'Many communities are developing disaster plans or long-range community plans, and the CWPP is meant to complement those plans,' said Maui Fire Chief Jeffrey Murray.  'It will be a useful tool for community members to help make West Maui’s neighborhoods and natural areas fire-safe,' he said."

Above: Credit - Wendy Osher

Public Input Sought for West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan

The buzz for the West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan community meetings this month keeps building!

From the Source:

"Lance De Silva, Maui forest management supervisor with the state Department of Land & Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife, emphasized that a CWPP isn't just another federal study.

'A CWPP is a community-based 'roots' process to outline wildfire risks to a community and to catalyze projects that can reduce those risks. In West Maui, we need to reduce our risks from mauka to makai. This is an important opportunity for communities to have a say over the priorities in the plan and to seek funds for the wildfire mitigation projects that residents themselves identify. Invest your time to protect your investments.'

Elizabeth Pickett, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization executive director, said 'CWPPs are meant to tie into existing or planned projects. Many communities are developing disaster plans or long-range community plans, and the CWPP is meant to complement those plans.

'It will be a useful tool for community members to help make West Maui's neighborhoods and natural areas fire-safe. Wildfires tie into many natural resource, municipal and community issues, so this is an important opportunity for communities to learn, have their voices heard and get involved.'"