West Maui Crews Respond to Three Brush Fires Within an Hour

There's a reason why West Maui was the first area in Maui that we covered with a Community Wildfire Protection Plan: it's the most fire-prone region of the County. 

Mahalo to Maui Fire Department for their hard work in keeping three simultaneous brush fires contained!

From the Source: 

"Maui firefighters were busy Thursday after receiving calls for three separate brush fires within an hour in West Maui.

At 10:50 a.m., fire crews responded to multiple reports of a brush fire on Kai Hele Ku Street in Launiupoko. A Lahaina ladder crew arrived at 11 a.m. and was able to contain a grass fire found burning on the north side of Kai Hele Ku Street, just below the roundabout at Haniu Street. The fire burned just over one acre of grass."

Brush Fire Scorches 200 Acres of Parker Ranch

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"A Hawaii County Fire Helicopter makes a water drop on a brush fire in Parker Ranch on Friday afternoon. Laura Shimabuku/West Hawaii Today"

Difficult terrain made this wildfire a difficult one to put out, especially with limited water resources in the area. The fire also started on the same day Mauna Kea had snow on its peak and nearby Waimea town was shrouded in misty cloud cover. Goes to show that wildfires can occur even when least expected, a reminder to always stay vigilant.

From the Source:

"The fire on Parker Ranch Land, sparked late Friday afternoon, was 80 percent contained in an area of grass and brush by mid-afternoon, Battalion Chief Ty Medeiros said. A helicopter began making water drops on the fire Friday afternoon, and bucket drops continued Saturday, drawing from frog ponds set up using water lines from the ranch." - West Hawaii Today

From the Source:

"HFD personnel have had some trouble accessing some portions of the fire because of the terrain, with features like deep gulches and ravines, but Farias said that they have been able to set up a fire break around the perimeter of the blaze." - Big Island Now

Lihue Airport Operations Return to Normal After Brush Fire

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Credit: Honolulu Star Advertiser

Yet another thing wildfire can impact: your next flight due to heavy smoke.

From the Source:

"At least three flights heading to Kauai were diverted to Oahu on Saturday because of heavy smoke from a brush fire behind Lihue Airport.

The brush fire began about 8:20 a.m. and was brought under control about 1:20 p.m., a Kauai spokeswoman said."

Scientists Prove Goats Are Better Than Chemical Weedkillers

Credit - Rodale Wellness

We just completed a pilot project in Waikoloa Village in conjunction with the Waikoloa Village Association to remove hazardous fuels from within village vacant lots using...goats. Here's why we think controlled grazing with goats is an excellent option to reduce wildfire hazards within communities. 

From the Source:

"Not only are goats less toxic (obviously), but they're also much more affordable than chemical sprays...

The marshes aren't polluted with toxins, the farmers get a new source of income by renting out their livestock (and the goats get a free meal), and the land managers get a cheap fix for the issue. Plus, with a cheap, effective, and safe solution, the problems caused by the grasses can be solved quickly, allowing everyone to enjoy the beautiful beach views again."

Strong El Nino Blamed for Dry Winter Forecast

"Tropical Depression 6E, which formed in the Eastern Pacific over the weekend, was captured in an image at 7 p.m. Sunday by the GOES-15 geostationary satellite. Hawaii is in the upper left corner of the image. Tropical cyclone activity usually increases in El Nino years such as 2015." Credit - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

A strong El Nino can mean a variety of things for Hawaii: more storms, a dry winter, and potential for landslides (especially in areas affected by wildfire).

From the Source:

"'We're not just talking about leeward drought,' said Kevin Kodama, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service office in Hono­lulu. 'It will probably manifest itself in windward areas as well. The expectation is that there will be pretty significant drought.'

"While there is a greater chance of storms during the June-through-November hurricane season, El Nino will likely steer most rain in the winter-to-spring rainy season away from the islands.

For farmers, ranchers and homeowners who like to keep their lawns green, a strong El Nino could mean cutbacks next year.

'The chance of drought goes up, the stronger the El Nino is,' Kodama said."

"Storms could, however, also cause landslides in areas recently hit by wildfires."

Fires Surge: Some 225 Brush Fires Have Burned On Oahu So Far This Year

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Front page of Honolulu Star Advertiser on July 9, 2015.

We are featured in the front page headline for the Honolulu Star Advertiser this morning!

From the Source:

"Residents can help prevent and prepare for brush fires by removing flammable materials within 30 feet of homes, pruning trees so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground, and creating and practicing a family evacuation plan, according to HFD.

Pablo Beimler, education and outreach coordinator of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, said tossing cigarette butts on the ground or the heat from a car parked near or on top of dry grass could trigger a fire. He said the organization found a correlation between population growth and an increase in brush fires.

The organization hopes to ramp up its outreach efforts, particularly in Waianae, which is typically dry, to engage residents about brush fire prevention and preparation through community action programs, he said.

'The big help is that a lot of the events (brush fires) are actually preventable,' Beimler said. 'We work with kids a lot. We think it’s a good way to start in terms of getting prevention methods out there.'

According to the organization, communities on Oahu especially at risk from brush fires include the Leeward Coast area. HFD data show that from January of last year, more than 100 occurred in Waianae, about 50 in Kapolei and nearly 40 in Waipahu."

Winds Keep Brush Fire Away From Nanakuli Homes (VIDEO)

Credit - Hawaii News Now

Quite fortunate in this case that winds were the saving grace; usually with wildfires, it's the other way around. Close calls, no matter how fortunate, should always be calls to action rather than inaction. It's also very important to stay vigilant of your surroundings, especially during peak season. Some Nanakuli residents had to be alerted by emergency personnel that there was a fire close to their home.

From the Source:

"Some residents were unaware that it had started until authorities went door to door.

Arnell Harris said a police officer came to her home and asked, 'Did you know there's a fire behind you? We didn't know. So all of us just ran outside.'

'It came within probably about 75 feet from a couple of the houses,' said Honolulu Fire Department Battalion Chief Paul Miguel. 'We were able to get up on both sides, the makai and mauka sides of the fire, kinda hold it in place. And that point it went over the ridge.'"

Fourth of July a Busy Day for Maui County Fire Crews

"A brush fire near Piilani Highway and Moi Place in Kihei on Sat."

A standing ovation for our firefighters is in order! Mahalo to Maui Fire for ensuring things didn't get out of hand during an insanely busy period.

From the Source:

"Maui County firefighters responded to more than 10 fire calls, including brush fires, an unscheduled cane fire and a structure fire on Saturday, fire officials said Sunday.

No injuries were reported in any of the incidents, although in at least four brush fire calls, children were seen playing with fireworks prior to the fires beginning, fire officials said."

Waikoloa Breeze July 2015 - Goat Dozing and Future of WVA Owned Lands; Pohinahina

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We're featured in the Waikoloa Breeze's General Manager Report for July 2015. GM Roger Wehrsig of Waikoloa Village Association recaps our latest project clearing portions of association-owned lands within the Village using "goat-dozers." 

Also, check out our "Native Firewise Plant of the Month" section highlighting Pohinahina, a great Firewise ground-cover that also acts as a soil stabilizer and grows quite quickly in dry areas.

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Brushfire Scorches 75 Acres at Edge of Subdivisions in Kona

"Homeowners keep an eye on the brush fire south of Kaiminani Dr. on Saturday. Laura Shimabuku/West Hawaii Today"

Residents in Kona's holiday was dampened by an afternoon brush fire that took a community effort to help put out. Access to wildland areas can be a real difficulty on the windy, steep roads on the mauka side of Kona. The community can be a big help to firefighters by assisting them in whatever they say they need.

From the Source:

"Instead of enjoying the holiday, homeowners spent the afternoon inhaling smoke, soaking yards and roofs and keeping an eye on the fire as it moved mauka through open brush, leaving smoldering areas. Some residents reported packing photo albums and other personal belongings in their cars, preparing to leave if necessary.

Workers building a Wainani Street house for Neil Vieth used a Bobcat to cut a fire line and manned the south edge of the property with buckets and garden hoses.

“'As the fire went up the back wall, guys were saving houses one by one,' Ferguson said. 'It was the whole community here.'”

Residents Return to "War Zone" After Wildfire Engulfs Homes (VIDEO)

"PHOTO: A man stands in front of the remains of his fire-destroyed home, June 29, 2015, in Wenatchee, Wash." Credit - Elaine Thompson/AP Photo

Embers can be one of the greatest threats during a wildfire near a community. This Washington fire set homes and businesses ablaze in the heart of the city, a testament to the importance of preparing for wildfire no matter how far you are from the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Our hearts go out to those who've lost their homes and businesses - we can't imagine how difficult of a recovery that must be.

From the Source:

"Homeowners forced to evacuate recently because of a rapidly moving wildfire in Washington state returned today to find that the blaze had burned so hot that few of their belongings remained or were even recognizable.

'[It] looks like a war zone,' Diane Reed told ABC News affiliate KOMO-TV. 'I've never seen anything like it ... To just sit back and think, I don't even have a fork or a plate or clothing — just your basic things that we all take for granted. It's just gone.'

Wenatchee, a town with a population of 30,000, suffered a double whammy. As fire ripped through neighborhoods and burning embers ignited several large businesses downtown, nearly half the city was ordered to shelter in place after an industrial fire and ammonia leak released a dangerous smoke plume."

Two Years After Deadly Wildfire, Are There Lessons In the Ashes?

"An aerial view shows the Yarnell Hill fire burning June 29, 2013 near the town of Yarnell, Ariz. The next day, 19 firefighters died battling the blaze." Credit - Arizona State Forestry Division/Getty Images

Check out this 5-minute audio report about the Yarnell Hill fire that claimed 19 firefighters' lives - interview with Kyle Dickman, a former hotshot who wrote the book "On the Burning Edge." "He tells NPR's Eric Westervelt about the wall of flames that the Granite Mountain Hotshots faced, and how the incident has - and hasn't - changed firefighting technology and practices.

From the Source:

"On one firefighter whose story sticks with him

One boy's name was Grant McKee; he was the youngest guy on the crew. And Grant McKee was really hesitant. He didn't necessarily want to join the crew, and he didn't want to be a hotshot, he wanted to be a paramedic. And so he had a really hard time sort of fitting into the rough-and-tumble culture of the hotshot crew. And I think what touched me about Grant's story was watching him come into it, so reluctant to join the crew, and then go from being an outcast to being an accepted member and actually sort of falling in love with the job.

On whether the tragedy was caused by bad luck or "unforgivable human error," and the changes he'd like to see

What I would like to see is a larger percentage of that money going toward preparing for wildfires. So instead of spending billions fighting them, we should be spending ... billions preparing for them — by thinning the forest, by using more prescribed fire, by letting more wildfires burn."

Firefighters Deal with More 'Suspicious' Brush Fires Near Makakilo

"Video still courtesy Saburban Castillo"

From the Source:

"Firefighters battled three brush fires just off the H-1 Freeway near Makakilo Sunday morning. It’s the second round of wildfires in that area in less than a week and the Honolulu Fire Department is once again calling it 'suspicious.'

'I don’t see the police arresting anyone hardly when it comes to fire,' he said, 'because it’s hard to get the evidence. You literally have to have the smoking gun in your hand.'

He hopes a concerted effort by all concerned can help pin down a fire-starter. 'The general public, if they see something suspicious on the highways, take the license number down and report it to the police. Let’s all join in and help solve the problem.'"

Suspicious Fire Burns 4 Acres of Sugar Cane in Paia

Credit - Maui Now

Cane fires are quite dangerous fires for firefighters to fight on foot. Help them by reporting any suspicious behavior to your local police.

From the Source:

"The incident was the second unscheduled cane fire in as many days reported in the Pāʻia area.  An estimated one acre of sugar cane was burned in a separate incident on Thursday night near the old Lime Kiln site.

The latest fire was reported at 8:42 p.m. on Friday near Hāna Highway and the Pāʻia mini-bypass.

While waiting for representatives from Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company to arrive, the Pāʻia fire crew and a Kahului water tanker were able to contain about 80% of the fire using large fire streams of water from fire trucks outside the field. 'Crews do not send firefighters on foot into cane fires because of unwarranted risks,' said Maui Fire Services Officer Edward Taomoto in a department press release."

Succulents and Wildflowers Leave Water-Wasting Lawns in the Dust

Credit - Heather Ross/Earthjustice

For dry side residents: Not only do succulents and native plants protect your home from wildfire, they can also dramatically reduce your water bill and will draw in pollinators. Here's a great article about the many benefits of succulent/native gardening.

From the Source:

“There used to be a lawn here,” Ramirez says, “but I wanted more texture, form and variation.” After using stacked layers of cardboard, compost and mulch—called sheet mulching—to kill the parched grass, Ramirez transplanted his diverse collection of potted succulents into a mix of soil, pumice and lava rock. He says he now waters as little as twice a month in sunnier times and never in the winter...

Putting succulents and native plants around your home not only saves precious water, but it also creates more habitat for bees and other pollinators, including 1,600 California native bee species. The University of California, Berkeley Urban Bee Lab offers a helpful guide to native and exotic plants that bees love…

'To avoid pesticides, choose the right plants,' Brenzel advises. Pests don’t bother drought-tolerant plants as often, and Brenzel says if you make your garden inviting to predators like birds they’ll do the bug-catching for you. She and Elana Chavez, a landscaper in Redwood City, recommend fragrant plants like lavender, yarrow, salvias, and California lilac to entice pollinators like hummingbirds and bees (not to mention human visitors)."

Hot Shot Crew Raising Funds for Fallen Firefighters' Memorial

A nice representation of the strong kinship held amongst wildland firefighters. 

From the Source: 

"'There's a strong family vibe through the wildland fire community,' Curry said.

That is the reason the Lone Peak Hot Shots decided to do something so these men would always be remembered. They're hoping to build a memorial at the site where Tompkins and Chambless died. The memorial will include two granite obelisks measuring 5 feet tall. They hope they will serve as a reminder to all who see them.

Kauai Firefighters Battle Brush Fire in Kaumakani

Credit - Kauai Fire Department

The importance of lending support to firefighters as a large landowner goes a long way. If you are a large landowner or manager, make sure to disclose any support you can give to your local fire department ahead of time, before there's even a fire threat. 

From the Source:

"Kauai firefighters extinguished a brush fire that broke out shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday in Kaumakani.

The fire scorched nearly 600 acres of land owned by Gay & Robinson. Strong winds made it difficult but firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by 4 p.m., officials said.

Crews from the Waimea, Hanapepe, Kalaheo and Kapaa stations responded along with Rescue 3, Air 1 and a battalion chief. Firefighters also received assistance from the landowner, who provided water trucks and other equipment."

Kapolei Brush Fires Considered 'Suspicious', Why So Few Cases Lead to Arrest

Credit - Jinelle Kaleikini

Arson is a very hard case to pull together, but with the help of everyday citizens, making the call to the local Police Department could make a significant impact.

From the Source:

“'It seems to be relatively infrequent,' said former Honolulu prosecuting attorney Peter Carlisle. 'There are plenty of fires intentionally set, but they’re difficult to prove because nobody saw what, when and how it started.'...

Officials say for justice to be served, prosecutors need evidence.

“We ask the public to report to police if they saw anything suspicious, before, during or after a brush fire. If they saw a car driving away, if they saw someone throw something into the bushes, we want people to report that,” said Capt. David Jenkins with Honolulu Fire Department.

“It would be extremely important whether you saw somebody running or the size of the person… Those types of things are very, very helpful,” said Carlisle.

HFD Investigates String of Suspicious Brush Fires

Credit - Katie Gowen

If you see any suspicious behavior, please report to Honolulu FD or PD.

From the Source:

"Nearly 30 firefighters responded to the first call at around 6:30 p.m. and extinguished the three fires – all located near the eastbound lanes of the H-1 Freeway, between the Makakilo off-ramp and North-South Road -- by 7:15 p.m. Each burned less than a half acre.

Investigators believe all three fires are suspicious because they started around the same time in roughly the same area."

Where to Watch 4th of July Fireworks in Hawaii

Credit - KHON2

Nothing says Fourth of July like a good fireworks show. This holiday, however, is also the day with the most wildfires on average per year (along with New Year's Eve). HWMO, Hawaii Fire Department, and other fire agencies recommend going to a professional show rather than playing with fireworks at home. We're hoping for an injury-less, wildfire-less 4th of July this year.

Here is a list of shows on each island.