Hawaii's Wildland Firefighters Need More Resources

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Three DOFAW firefighters watch as smoke billows from a distance. Credit: DOFAW.

Front page headlines!

With the ever-growing problem of wildfires statewide, Hawaii's first responders have faced numerous challenges accessing adequate resources to ensure communities and natural resources are out of harm's way. This is a great article that highlights the underlying issues of wildfire in Hawaii, the current realities of wildfire suppression across the state, and tactics that may help alleviate these issues. The answer: improved resources for wildland firefighting and a focus on pre-fire mitigation.

From the Source:

"Experts say both the frequency and size of wildfires have steadily grown in recent decades as changing weather patterns and invading fire-prone, non-native grasses and shrubs have put Hawaii’s forests and natural areas at greater risk of fire.

Data from a recent Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization study indicate that the average area burned each year in Hawaii has climbed by 400 percent over the past century.

The study also shows that an average of more than 17,000 acres has burned each year over the past decade, with some years exceeding even the most fire-prone Western states.

In fact, a greater percentage of Hawaii is under high risk of wildfire than any of the other 16 westernmost states, according to an assessment by the Council of Western State Foresters."

"Clay Trauernicht, extension fire specialist with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said the state needs to provide more realistic funding levels to help protect the state’s natural areas in the face of a rapidly growing wildfire threat."

"Cutting firebreaks, reducing vegetation and brush, and working with landowners to provide access for water and vehicles help to minimize the size of fires, their impacts and their potential danger to firefighters, he said."

"Trauernicht said the state should consider establishing a full-time team dedicated solely to wildfires. Not only would it improve the division’s initial response, but the team could also conduct pre- and post-fire activities when not responding to fires, he said."

Parched: Driest January on Record for Parts of West Hawaii

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"Charred earth from the recent fire near Palamanui is seen along side of dry grass from the persisting drought in North Kona. (Laura Shimabuku/West Hawaii Today)"

What is on pace for the 2nd strongest El Nino on record is not good news for those worried about wildfire. The key take away is that even if your area is considered "wet side", when there is no rain, the rainforest can burn. 

Here's a news piece with quotes from our Executive Director, Elizabeth Pickett, and a long-time partner of ours, Jen Lawson, who directs the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative.

From the Source:

"The Pacific is experiencing what will likely pan out to be the second strongest El Nino on record, behind only 1997-98. True to pattern, a snuffing out of the normal trade wind pattern and its accompanying showers are following the El Nino. If the past is any indication and long-term predictions hold up, there may be no relief in sight through April."

"West Hawaii had a very wet summer, leading to high loads of vegetation which have now dried out, causing concern for fire management officials. In Waikoloa, expanses of invasive buffelgrass and fountain grass have become parched, said Jen Lawson, who directs the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative.

'We’ve had no precipitation at the forest in more than 12 weeks,' she said. 'Wildfire is what we are thinking most about now.”

Kodama said light winds have helped spare dry areas from fast-spreading fires. But that could change as winds pick up going into spring and conditions continue to dry out, he said.

Elizabeth Pickett, executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, said her group will be stepping up its fire safety outreach in the face of the drought.

'We have a pretty high hazard out there; now is time to be proactive and really be aware of the fire issue,' Pickett said. 'We’re getting very concerned.'"

HWMO Awarded the 2016 Ready Set Go! Leadership Award for Career Department

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Students from Malama Kai Foundation's Ocean Warriors program read through Ready, Set, Go! Action Guides - part of an integrated approach to empower keiki to share what they've learned with their family and general public.

We are honored to be this year's 2016 Ready Set Go! Leadership Award for Career Department recipient! The Ready, Set, Go! program has been an incredible partner and a crucial resource for wildfire preparation information over the past few years. Big mahalo for all of their kokua over the years!

We look forward to formally accepting the award at this year's Wildland-Urban Interface Conference in Reno on March 9th!

From the Source:

• The RSG Award for Excellence
  • Flower Mound (Texas) Fire Department

• The RSG Innovation Award
  • Austin (Texas) Fire Department Wildfire Division

• The RSG Leadership Award
  • Career Department: Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization
  • Volunteer/Combination Department: Aubrey (Texas) Fire Department

"The winners have incorporated the RSG! Program into their prefire mitigation or preparedness outreach. They’ve also demonstrated innovation in expanding the program to neighboring emergency service groups to enhance wildfire readiness throughout their communities. These RSG champions have helped their communities become actively engaged in the wildland-fire solution."

"Recently, HWMO created and printed a state Action Guide, taking steps to make it as detailed and specific to their region as possible. HWMO used RSG education as a first step toward community engagement in order to ensure RSG principles are not only shared but also put into action. They worked with partners and their community to develop a strategic and innovative process that started with an initial CWPP meeting to identify community-based priorities and wildfire concerns. Their innovative and engaging ideas in promoting RSG and fire wise landscaping make them this year’s winner of the RSG Leadership Award for Career Departments."

Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization Supports Formation of Firewise Communities in Hawaii

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"According to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, about 0.5% of Hawaii’s total land area burns annually, as much or more than the proportion of land are burned in any other US state. In Hawaii, 98% of wildfires are human caused."

We are extremely grateful to be a part of the Firewise Communities program and were highlighted for our efforts in January's National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Fire Break newsletter!

From the Source:

"Wildfire in Hawaii, like anywhere else, threatens the safety of firefighters, residents andhomes. It also causes damage to the air quality, which impacts human health, and contributes to soil erosion problems that can cause damage to sensitive coral reefs. One of the partners in Hawaii working to help lessen the loss due to wildfire in Hawaii is the Hawaiian Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO). They are a small nonprofit organization that has been working together with fire departments, the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife, communities and others to help develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) and Firewise Communities. The HWMO was officially founded in 2000 by a group of South Kohala/North Kona regional experts who wanted to create a non-profit organization to serve as an arm for the fire suppression and land management agencies to conduct prevention, pre-suppression, and post-fire work. They became incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2002. Since then, they have grown to not only address wildfire issues for all of Hawaii Island, but also the entire state and some of the Western Pacific (namely Yap, Palau, Guam).

According to Pablo Beimler, Coordinator with HWMO, "'Although we have a small staff, HWMO is continually able to accomplish a number of projects due to its extensive partnerships. We can't say it enough: by staying in communication with our partners on each project, and expanding partnerships where needed, they are able to ensure our projects stay grounded and effective.'"

"Pablo described other wildfire preparedness projects in which HWMO is involved. "We have a Firewise demonstration garden in Waikoloa Village, where we have a number of native, drought-tolerant plants growing strategically around a demo home to give community members an example of good defensible space practices. Our team has held a number of community events at the garden and have had a youth environmental empowerment group called the Malama Kai Ocean Warriors help be the ‘stewards’ of the garden. In terms of other youth outreach, we also go to numerous schools and youth programs to teach students about wildfire prevention and preparedness, including Firewise and Ready, Set, Go! principles. We also hold community wildfire preparedness workshops for various organizations/groups or for the general public where we give people a run-down on Firewise and Ready, Set, Go!."  

Oahu Hit Hard By Wildfires, Study Finds

Drs. Clay Trauernicht and Creighton Litton (both at University of Hawaii, CTAHR) gave excellent interviews regarding wildfires in Hawaii and the threats they pose on people and landscapes. Honolulu Star-Advertiser placed the story front and center on their Sunday paper and Hawaii Public Radio filled the airwaves about the scale and scope of Hawaii’s wildfire issues— information likely new to much of their audiences.  

In addition to Trauernicht and Litton of UH CTAHR, Elizabeth Pickett of HWMO was a co-author, along with Christian Giardina and Susan Cordell of the US Forest Service, and Andrew Beavers at the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands at Colorado State University. HWMO created the database and fire history map that was the foundation of the research.  The research article can be found here:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283685661_The_Contemporary_Scale_and_Context_of_Wildfire_in_Hawai'i_1

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"Firefighters battled a brush fire in upper Makakilo in August 2014. Authorities later determined that the fire was started by two boys playing with a lighter." (Krystle Marcellus/Honolulu Star Advertiser)

From the Source:

"'People don’t typically think of wildfire as a frequent disturbance on tropical islands,' said Trauernicht in a UH release Friday.

But between 2005 and 2011, there were about 1,007 wildfires statewide that burned an average of about 20,000 acres, the researchers found.

A 108-year history showed a more-than-fourfold increase in acreage burned annually statewide, they found."

"'Oahu is off the charts,' he said, adding that Maui averaged about 200 wildfires annually."

"Observers say in Hawaii, more homes being built near open brush land sometimes force firefighters to place themselves dangerously between the fires and houses."

Fending Off a Fire: Workshop Offers Hands-On Fire Extinguisher Training

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"Fire Battalion Chief Joseph Farias left indicates where to aim the spray to Mary and Dale Watson at a fire extinguisher workshop Saturday at the Waikoloa Stables. Laura Shimabuku/West Hawaii Today"

Mahalo West Hawaii Today for including the recent training we helped put together with Waikoloa CERT with additional help from Hawaii Fire Department!

From the Source:

"October is Fire Prevention Month which has been recognized since 1871, the year of the Great Chicago Fire that claimed the lives of more than 250 people, leaving 100,000 homeless and destroying over 17,400 structures. Part of the month-long commemoration, The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) sponsored a fire extinguisher workshop Saturday at the Waikoloa Stables.

The free workshop not only explained the components of this commonplace item, it also allowed students to have hands-on training in its correct use. Under the supervision of Hawaii County Fire Department personnel, each attendee was given the opportunity to PASS - pull the pin, aim, squeeze and sweep. Classifications of various extinguishers was also explained and which ones are best for home use in different scenarios."

HWMO VIDEO: Kawaihae Fire and Flood 2015 - Mauka to Makai Impacts

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Post-fire debris smothers coastline near Mauumae Beach.

Starting on August 8th, Kawaihae experienced a brushfire that threatened local communities, businesses, and cultural sites. Over a week later, the impacts of the wildfire have reached another precious resource: our coastline. 

We just produced a short video demonstrating the mauka-to-makai effects of wildfire with recent footage and photographs documenting the post-fire floods that have and are continuing to have negative impacts on our nearshore resources including coral reefs.

At the end of the video is an important message about how you can join us in taking action to prevent troubling events like these.

Enjoy and make sure to spread this video and the messages in it to everyone you know!

The recent Kawaihae Fire burned over 4,500 acres of wildland in the Northwest region of Hawaii Island. The wildfire directly impacted local communities, businesses, and cultural sites. One week later, the wildfire impacted coastal resources through unprecedented levels of post-fire flooding.

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."

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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Waikoloa Breeze June 2015 - Wildfire Prep Day Review, Volunteer of Month, Goat Dozing

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This month's Waikoloa Breeze featured HWMO a number of times. 

1) Wildfire Prep Day recap (pg. 4)
2) Volunteer of the Month: Mark Gordon, Waikoloa CERT and active member of the Waikoloa Firewise Team. He has assisted in helping raise awareness for wildfires in the community, and has contributed to HWMO efforts through a variety of ways. Congratulations Mark! Thanks for all you do! (pg. 8)
3) Update on goat-dozing for fuels reduction within the community's vacant lots - a project we're helping fund and support. (pg. 24)

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HFD Warns of Brush Fire Risk as Dry Conditions Approach

Screen capture from KHON2

We were honored to be a part of the media event that led to this news piece. Honolulu Fire Department offered great tips for preparing for what looks like a busy period of wildfires ahead.

From the Source:

“'You should keep your property well maintained,' said HFD spokesperson, Capt. David Jenkins. 'Keep anything combustible away. If it catches fire it shouldn’t be leaned up against your structure. Anything that can transfer the wild land fire to your home should be cleared away and put somewhere safe.'

Firefighters also say you should have a 30 foot buffer zone around your house and make sure to maintain a fire break.

Brush fires are a statewide problem and fire officials say the majority are started by people whether it’s an accident or intentional.

On Kauai authorities say there have been 70 brush fires since December all believed to be intentionally set.

Some tips for you to stay safe this season:

• Clear away any brush or high weeds at least 30 feet away from any structures. That brush or weeds could act as fuel for a fire.
• Make sure you keep a water course near your house.
• If you see smoke, call 911 immediately.
• If you are a smoker, do not discard lit cigarettes out of your vehicle."

Wildfires on Mahalo Aina (Hawaii Public Radio)

We were featured on a recent Hawaii Public Radio show called Mahalo ʻAina! The show "is a 13-week series of reports designed to raise awareness of the many environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits provided by Hawaii's forests and the need for human responsibility in protecting and perpetuating these ecosystems."

Check out the 90-second vignette featuring wildfires and what HWMO is doing to prevent and prepare for them. Just scroll down to the 5th episode on the webpage.

From the Source:

"Wildfires are an issue for all islands in the state. The destruction caused by wildfires can potentially affect everything from native forests, watersheds, and agricultural production through to drinking water, cultural resources, and of course human safety.  The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization is dedicated to controlling the wildfire threat."

"Wildfire. Photo credit: University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources"

Hot Under the Collar Over Wildfires

"Wildfires like this one are increasing across the island and are extremely detrimental in a variety of ways." Credit - Chief Eric Moller, USAG-P, FES and HWMO

Highlight of Ilene Grossman (Planning Assistant) and HWMO's efforts to protect Kauai resident and native resources from wildfire!

From the Source:

"'I want to do my part in protecting the Hawaiian Islands’ natural and cultural resources,' says Grossman. 'Wildfires have a devastating impact on our islands in general, and I want to offer my time to help our communities with this growing issue.'

As long as residents do their part by being proactive and informed, the number of fires can decrease. Regular maintenance of yards and landscaping, for example, is one way to help mitigate fires. It’s important for the community to work together to make this happen, including government entities, as wildfires are both dangerous and expensive.

'When fires burn native forest, what comes back are non-native, invasive grasses and other species that are more fire prone, creating a vicious cycle of fire,' explains Grossman.

Additionally, after a fire, soil drifts into the waterways, smothers reefs and impacts water quality. Air quality is yet another concern that especially impacts fire-fighters. Moreover, the cost to taxpayers to put out each fire and rebuild afterward is another negative effect.

Waimea Wildfire Management Group Co-Hosts Fundraiser

From the Source

"For more than 10 years, the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, a nonprofit organization based in Waimea, has been on a mission to protect Hawaii’s communities and natural resources from the growing threat of wildfires.

Hawaii’s proportion of land area burned each year has either matched or exceeded that of any of the fire-prone Western U.S. states. The impacts of wildfire range from human safety and native forest destruction, to coral reef smothering caused by post-fire erosion and run-off.

Since 98 percent of wildfires in Hawaii are caused by humans and many are caused accidentally, we can all work together to help solve this issue by spreading the word about wildfires and the ways we can prevent them and protect our families, communities, and lands.

To get involved and offer kokua, Hawaii Wildfire is teaming with the Rotary Club of Kona and Denny’s to host Project Compassion from 4-9 p.m. Sunday at Denny’s Restaurant in Kona. With the public’s support, Hawaii Wildfire can continue its mission and expand its outreach efforts. The organization will receive 20 percent of the food and beverage sales and 100 percent of guest servers’ tips."

 

HWMO and its partners at Wildfire Prep Day 2014.

Devastating Wildfires Pose Growing Threat to Hawaii's Lush Forest and Water Resources

Excellent, well-rounded article about the mauka to makai connectivity in regards to wildfires. Our wildfire issues are making national headlines!

From the Source:

"In addition to chipping away at the last of Hawaii's native forests, wildfires also threaten the state's limited freshwater resources. According to Elizabeth Pickett of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, fires can make the soil hydrophobic, meaning less water infiltrates the soil and contributes to the state's precious groundwater resources.

Wildfires are also destructive to the state's treasured coral reefs.

The most recent National Climate Assessment reports that Hawaii's coral reefs are already struggling to survive due to bleaching events and ocean acidification."

Sign-up for a free-trial of ClimateWire to read the full article (it's worth it!):

http://www.eenews.net/login?r=%2Fclimatewire%2Fstories%2F1060016599%2Fsearch%3Fkeyword%3Dhawaii

"A forest fire creeps down to the sea from the West Maui Mountains.
Photo courtesy of Peter Liu."

Twenty One Individuals and Organizations Honored for Superlative Fire Protection Efforts in their Communities

We are proud to announce that HWMO is one of the recipients this year for the Wildfire Mitigation Innovation Award. Sponsored by the National Associations of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National FIre Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service, "these awards are designed to recognize outstanding service in wildfire preparedness and safety across a broad spectrum of activities and among a variety of individuals and organizations."

HWMO will be sending a representative to accept the award at this year's Wildland-Urban Interface Conference (WUI) in Reno, Nevada on Wednesday, March 25, 2015.

We are honored to be amongst an impressive array of national groups and individuals who are doing amazing things serving their communities!

We couldn't have received this award without the incredible help from our staff, our Board of Directors, our Technical Advisory Board, our partners, and our active community members. A big mahalo to all of you! 

Waikoloa Breeze Jan. 2015 - Did You Know?

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Check out our "Did You Know" article explaining why Waikoloa is threatened by wildfires and what HWMO can offer residents to reduce wildfire hazards.

From the Source:

• "The Waikoloa Village area has experienced the largest and most severe wildfires in state history.
• Those fires occurred in situations very similar to what we are currently experiencing - prolonged period of wet weather and vegetation growth followed by drought"

Hawaii Updates CWPPs to Create Fire Adapted Communities

Our week in the national spotlight continued with this highlight from our partners from the Western Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy in their latest newsletter:

From the Source: 

"Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is holding a series of public meetings to hear concerns and solutions to wildfire issues to incorporate in updates to four Community Wildfire Protection Plans. Ilene Grossman, the CWPP Update project manager said, 'We are updating these plans because they have lost community momentum. The projects and input are outdated, and with predicted drought to follow this current vegetation growth, the fire hazard will likely be very high in the near future.' Read more about the CWPP update process here >.
 
HWMO is also initiating six new CWPPs, so that highest risk communities throughout the state of Hawaii will be covered by a CWPP. Funding for the updates and new CWPPs comes from US Forest Service Wildland Urban Interface grants. To follow through with CWPP prioritized actions, HWMO is hosting Ready, Set, Go! wildfire preparedness workshops and distributing a Hawaii version of the Ready, Set, Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide. Community action teams formed during these efforts are further being supported by HWMO to work toward Firewise Communities/USA designations and Fire Adapted Communities overall goals. For more information, see the HWMO website."

Above: Fire in Puu Anahulu burns near Waikoloa, as viewed from Kohala Mountain Road in Waimea (Kamuela) in mid-November.

Ready, Set, Go! - Department Spotlight - HWMO

Our national partner, Ready, Set, Go! covered HWMO's Wildfire Preparedness Program in their first ever "Department Spotlight" as part of their national newsletter. 

From the Source: 

"A Ready, Set, Go (RSG) member since June 2011, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is a support organization dedicated to sharing the wildland fire preparedness message through workshops in collaboration with their community partners: schools, community centers, and their local, state and federal fire-response agencies.

The workshops offered by HWMO and their partners are viewed as a two-step process: an initial workshop and a follow-up workshop."

"'Holding these workshops has been a great way to not only spread the RSG message but to get our organization's name out into the public. Through these workshops, we've forged new partnerships with local entities and community members that will translate into future on-the-ground projects. We've also used these workshops as a way to attract residents to our local CWPP update meetings that we've held after the workshops.'"

Above: Series of Ready, Set, Go! Wildfire Preparedness Workshops put on by HWMO.

El Niño Expected to Dry Out Island

West Hawaii Today examined the possibility for El Niño this year. We chimed in on what El Niño could mean for the islands in terms of wildfires:

From the Source: 

"The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization is increasing outreach in the face of the possible dry conditions. Heavy fuel loads caused by the wet summer are cause for concern, said Pablo Beimler, education and outreach coordinator for the organization, which is based in Waimea. 

'A lot of wildfires happen in these drier periods after it’s been wet,' Beimler said. 'The fuel loads in West Hawaii are similar to when we had the big fires in Waikoloa in 2005 and 2007.'

Unlike the typically well-defined fire seasons on the mainland, wildfire is a year-round possibility on Hawaii Island.

'In a single day, you may have a wet morning and wildfire conditions in the afternoon,' Beimler said. 'It just changes so rapidly.'"

Above: "High rainfall in Kealakekua and Honaunau during May benefited area farmers. The Big Island can expect below average rainfall this winter, but forecasters say the island should escape severe drought, the National Weather Service said Friday." Credit - West Hawaii Today