News Center
Credit: National Park Service
Check out HWMO's Executive Director, Elizabeth Pickett, on The Conversation on HPR! We are extremely thankful for the opportunity to share about wildfire readiness for 10 minutes on the air.
From the Source:
"With the hot dry summer months ahead, the fire threat, the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization is reminding the state that wildfires are nearly always started by people, regardless of intent."
Credit: Blake Kinoshita / KFVE
A recent string of brush fires in Hawaii Kai has been understandably making nearby residents nervous. HWMO will be taking part in two different community events on the week of June 5th to help address concerns and offer advice on next steps for community action. Mahalo to State Senator Stanley Chang and Representative Gene Ward for the invites to the meetings and for bringing attention to this growing issue.
From the Source:
"ʻWhat's being done in Hawaii Kai is totally unacceptable and we don't wish it on any community and that's why it's got to be stopped. It's gotta be stopped now,ʻ said state Rep. Gene Ward (R) Hawaii Kai.
Ward is organizing a June 6 town hall meeting where fire officials, police and wild fire experts will provide the public with the latest details on the fires.
'There are a lot of eyes and ears watching so whoever is doing this, they're going to get caught,' he said.
Wildfires in Hawaii Kai have been a cause for concern of late for residents -- this being another frightening wake-up call. Be prepared and have a plan by checking out the Wildfire Lookout! homepage.
From the Source:
"A brush fire deep in the Kamilo Nui Valley in Hawaii Kai has charred roughly 20 acres and continues to burn early Thursday, the Honolulu Fire Department said. "
"Nearby residents say this fire is the largest out of a string of recent fires in the area.
'It's been going on for two months. There are small fires, but this one is the real biggest one,' resident Carolyn Kawano said. 'It's hard to say because I know there's like, homeless up there too. So they don't know who the culprit is.'
Credit: Mark Stainaker / The Garden Island
Kauai may have been blessed with rains of late, but that also means further growth of unmanaged flammable vegetation. Waimea Canyon, no stranger to large wildfire incidents, makes for difficult firefighting conditions. We thank first responders for their hard work on these challenging fires.
From the Source:
"State and county firefighting crews continue to battle a brush fire that is burning at the western edge of Waimea Canyon Tuesday. The fire is one of three that scorched over 60 acres of brush since yesterday.
About 30 DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildfire personal, along with the Kauai Fire Department, are establishing a control area between the 800- to 1,500-foot elevation of the mountain, amid grassland and haole koa shrubs. No homes or structures are threatened."
Fire on Waahila Ridge on May 10, 2017. Credit: KHON2
Brush fire on Waahila Ridge, near Saint Louis Heights, on Oahu may be a sign of things to come this summer? Stay vigilant and make sure to check out Wildfire Lookout! for more information on how to prepare for wildfires.
From the Source:
"Crews received the call for the fire around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, and stationed a fire monitor to watch the blaze, which was determined to be slowly moving."
Beach Party for Wildfire Awareness. Credit: Hawaii DLNR
We are excited to say that not only was HWMO's Beach Party for Wildfire Awareness a success on May 6, but it also received statewide media attention. One of the highlights of the event was the official launch of Wildfire Lookout!, a multi-partner coordinated statewide wildfire prevention and preparedness campaign. Mahalo to KHON2, KITV, and Big Island Video News for coverage of the event, and a very special mahalo to Department of Land and Natural Resources for documenting the day's proceedings and sharing with the media.
From the Sources:
"'In the end, all of us are impacted by wildfire. It’s just that some of those impacts are more invisible than others, so people aren’t quite as aware,' Elizabeth Pickett, executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, said.
Pickett says over 25-percent of the state has been invaded by non-native, fire-prone grasses and shrubs.
That percentage grows as fires consume native forests which are then taken over by those invasive species." - KHON2
"The importance of land and homeowners to be fire ready is the theme of National Community Wildfire Preparedness Day events and activities across the country today. At the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area on Hawai‘i Island’s west side, Elizabeth Pickett watched as several non-profit organizations set up booths and exhibits for the first-ever Beach Party for Wildfire Awareness. Pickett is the executive director of the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO), which with DLNR, and two dozen other State and federal government organizations and various non-profits are supporting the second year of a public and media awareness campaign: Wildfire LOOKOUT!
Pickett explained to people who dropped by the HWMO booth, that just because they may never have personally experienced a wildfire close to their home or property, that doesn’t mean they weren’t impacted. She explained, “Especially in our island environment the negative impacts of a wildfire in a specific location usually has detrimental impacts many miles away that can persist for years and even decades. You often hear people refer to 'mauka to makai,' and that effect pertains to wildfire. Once land is stripped of trees and vegetation it becomes much more prone to erosion and the introduction of invasive species and soot and sediment can wash from mountain forests to the sea where it can choke out life in coral reefs.'
Big Island State Representative Cindy Evans emphasized the need for everyone in Hawai‘i to become aware of these impacts and to do their part to prevent wildland fires. She’s seen first- hand the devastation and destruction, these often fast moving fires cause. Evans said, 'Even the loss of one home is one too many when you consider that with a little awareness, people truly can prevent wildland fires.'" - Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (picked up by Big Island Video News)
"Rony Reed, a Karuk tribal member, participates in a burn at Bacon Flat in Orleans, California. Photo by Stormy Staats / Klamath Salmon Media Collaborativemaker."
This was a really interesting read that highlights Karuk and their use of community-based prescribed burning as part of a larger cultural and ecological renaissance and to change the narrative on certain misconceptions about their relationship to fire. The article also highlights how the merging of science and culture are essential, especially in the face of climate change.
"This marks the third year the Karuk have helped run and organize the community burning program, a joint venture between the tribe and several groups, including a local watershed council and the nonprofit Nature Conservancy, which uses the burn as part of its own national training program in controlled burning. For the Karuk, the program marks a historic turn from years of being labeled as arsonists for lighting the fires that belief says they are required to perform. It’s also a tribute to the fact that controlled or prescribed burning is becoming in vogue among scientific and resource management circles. The Karuk hope their young fire program will be the start of a sustainable, community-based effort leading to a cultural and ecological revival for the tribe."
Credit: Luahiwa Lee Loy Namahoe / KHON2
With the entire Big Island currently in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, a busy spring and summer may lie ahead for our firefighters. Lighten your landscaping through the recommendations made in the ReadySetGo! Wildland Fire Action Guide this spring and make sure to take action this Wildfire Preparedness Day, May 6! You can enter our statewide contest by posting your photos to social media with #wildfirereadyhawaii or by submitting your photos to admin@hawaiiwildfire.org.
"A fire across 10 acres of brush makai of Queen Kaahumanu Highway shut down southbound lanes on that road and a stretch of Henry Street for part of Thursday afternoon.
No injuries or structural damage was reported as a result of the blaze, said West Hawaii Battalion Chief Brian Cushnie."
Click to Read the Blog Post
In 2015, we began working with several communities statewide on grassroots-level community wildfire protection efforts, primarily through Firewise’s communities recognition program. Only a few years later, we’re happy to say that our communities are seeing some great success! Find out how HWMO and its partners are working with communities to advance Fire Adapted Community goals in the latest highlight on the FAC Learning Network blog.
"These recommendations have already encouraged Firewise committees to start thinking outside of the box. For example, two years ago, Waikoloa Village received a fuels reduction grant from the USDA Forest Service. The village used the funds to hire a goat-grazing contractor to reduce flammable vegetation on vacant lots. As phase two of the project, the community will be installing permanent fence posts to allow for more regular grazing. Eventually, they may transform these lots into a multi-use area where goats continue to graze and the community also grows citrus trees.
These communities are also engaging residents through outreach. A few months ago, the Launiupoko Firewise committee sent over 300 copies of ReadySetGo! Wildland Fire Action Guides to residents. This spring, they will be hiring a contractor to remove flammable vegetation along an established bike path. Kahikinui, a small homestead in one of the most remote areas on Maui, worked tirelessly last year to engage neighboring large landowners and various agencies in their Firewise efforts. Their persistence and creativity led to a collaborative fuels mitigation project that received funding from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and a local wind farm."
"More than 10 wildfires burned over 200,000 acres in Southern California in October 2003, many of them started by humans. This satellite image shows strong winds carrying smoke over the Pacific." Credit: MODIS Rapid Response Team/NASA
It is no surprise, human beings are the leading cause of wildfires in the U.S. (more than 98% of fires in Hawaii are caused by people). But now, thanks to scientists, we know the extent of the issue: humans cause 84% of forest fires nationwide! Prevention education is so important - we hope that you can continue to help HWMO spread the word about preventing wildfires to protect our communities, lands, and waters.
"As a result, Balch says, not only are people causing the vast majority of wildfires, they're also extending the normal fire season around the country by three months."
"I think acknowledging that fact is really important," she says, "particularly right now when we have evidence that climate is changing, and climate is warming, and that fires are increasing in size and the fire season is increasing."
Credit: Maui Now
It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but even the wetter areas on the Hawaiian Islands can burn under the right conditions. Wet side fires, such as the one on Monday off of Hana Highway on Maui, can sometimes be especially challenging due to difficult access along cliffsides and taller, denser plant growth. A reminder that even if you are in the green, wildfires can burn in your area.
From the Source:
"Engine 2 from Pāʻia and Tanker 10 from Kahului responded and arrived at 5:45 p.m. to find about a quarter acre of thick vegetation and large eucalyptus trees burning on the hillside mauka of Hāna Highway, about a mile Kahului side of Honomanū Bay.
Maui Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said crews could not make access to the fire because of steep terrain, with flames climbing up a near vertical slope, burning 150 to 200 feet above the highway."
"The fire forced the three hour closure of the roadway in both directions near Honomanū at Mile 11 while crews worked to fight the fire and burnt debris fell onto the roadway posing a safety hazard."
Scientists, using new imaging technology aboard two NASA satellites, predict that indeed a warming planet will lead to...more 'megafires.' With more and longer drought periods predicted for Hawaii on both the wet and dry sides, our islands will also most likely experience an increase in wildfire occurrence and severity as the climate changes.
Projected changes in the number of days exceeding the 93rd percentile of the Fire Weather Index (FWI) by the mid 21st century (2041-2070) under a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). Dark red shading indicates the largest increases, while the pale green hows small decreases. Red triangles and blue dots show recent extreme wildfire events as per previous figure. Source: Bowman et al. (2017)
"Recent research shows that the number of days wildfires are likely to burn each year is increasing as global temperatures rise. And the new study finds that extreme wildfires are likely to become more widespread in future, Bowman says:
'Climate change projections suggest that the geographic footprint of dangerous fire weather is likely to expand globally.'"
"The findings make a compelling case that adds to the mounting evidence on the increasing risk of wildfires, adds Giglio:
'Clearly on the current path we can expect a greater risk of extreme fires in much of the world. The outlook for the western United States is particularly worrying.'
While the publication of this study on the anniversary of Black Tuesday is a 'fortuitous coincidence', says Bowman, it highlights that the combination of cities surrounded by flammable forests and increasing wildfire risk 'will lead to more fire disasters'.
As of 2016, Waiohuli homesteads in Kula is a nationally-recognized Firewise Community. Wildfires are a growing threat to Kula communities, whether the northeast or Kona trade winds are blowing. Join Waiohuli by taking action as a neighborhood and working towards becoming a Firewise Community!
From the Source:
"A brush fire in Kula burned about a half-acre of grass on Sunday before it was brought under control.
Upcountry firefighters responded to the incident reported off of Koheo Road in Kula at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday Feb. 5, 2017.
Kula firefighters arrived at 11:51 a.m. to find a half-acre of grass on fire. Air 1 was called out to make water drops because of strong Kona winds fanning the fire."
KHON2 Screen Capture
It may be surreal to watch as horses are led through sidewalks of paved streets in an urban neighborhood, but that was the reality on Saturday, February 4th when a couple wildfires in East Oahu filled neighborhoods with smoke (and burned to the edge of a home). If you have pets or livestock on a property, follow the step-by-step evacuation plan checklist on pages 15-16 of the Ready, Set, Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide.
Personal recreational drones complicated the firefight for Honolulu Fire Department. Please make sure to keep drones out of the air during wildfires as they are a safety hazard for helicopters. A trending YouTube video is not worth risking the lives and safety of our firefighters and communities.
From the Source:
"There were tense moments for homeowners, with one house just feet away from the scorched ground. Firefighters were stationed nearby to safeguard homes.
HFD Capt. David Jenkins said the fire quickly grew “with the winds being variable and blowing in different directions, causing some impact on the fire.”
The fire was called contained at approximately 3:45 p.m. No homes were damaged or directly threatened by the fire, and there were no evacuation of residents.
Jenkins did say that the fire did go up and into Koko Crater and the stables were evacuated. None of the horses were injured."
Aerial photo of Puako community fuelbreak.
Over the last few decades, Puakō has had many encounters with wildfires, one of which burned down six homes in 1987. Increased human activity in the area along with more frequent and severe drought periods and unmanaged vegetation have been recipes for increased wildfire hazards and occurrences in the area. The 2007 fire prompted the creation of Puakō’s nearly 3-mile long fuelbreak with the facilitation of a U.S. Forest Service Wildland-Urban Interface grant from Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO). HWMO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Waimea that has been providing the Hawaiian Islands with nationally recognized wildfire protection services since 2000. We serve as the hub of the collaborative wildfire efforts of government agencies, nongovernment organizations, and communities across Hawaiʻi. For more information, go to hawaiiwildfire.org.
Some of the members of the Puako Firewise Committee who helped the community achieve Firewise Communities recognition.
In 2016, Puakō residents concerned with the wildfire issues in their community, came together to form a Firewise Committee that would work towards Firewise Community recognition. The NFPA Firewise Communities Recognition Program, which over 1,300 communities are currently participating in, certifies communities that have banded together to reduce their wildfire risks through a five-step process. HWMO is pleased to announce that, thanks to the efforts of proactive residents in the community and help from various partners, Puakō is now an official Firewise Community as of 2016. The benefits of being a Firewise Community include community-building, increasing wildfire awareness, gaining greater access to funding and assistance, and possible reduction to insurance costs in the near future. Most importantly, a Firewise Community is better protected from wildfire. Puakō now joins 6 other new Firewise Communities on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island that HWMO was able to assist this past year, making it a total of 9 communities with this honor.
Wildfires not only impact communities, businesses, infrastructure, native forests, and cultural resources, but they also affect our watersheds and coral reefs (check out the video HWMO produced in 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=ZtsG5fP-Z9Y)...
Heavy rain events after fires cause erosion that sloughs off topsoil leaving some areas completely denuded and unable to support vegetation. Post-fire erosion fills streams with sediment, depositing it in the ocean. This sedimentation smothers coral reefs, massively impacting water quality, fisheries, and long term coral health. By reducing the wildfire threats in Puakō, being a Firewise Community also means protecting the area’s wai and kai. Mahalo to Puakō residents for all the hard work you put in this past year!
Credit: PTA Natural Resources Office
Mahalo to our brave firefighters for ensuring the Waikii Ranch community is protected from the 770-acre blaze.
From the Source:
“The fire is burning in light flashy fuels mostly grass and does not pose a threat to any roadways or private property,” a Hawaii County Civil Defense message stated. “Fire activity is slow at this time but continues to produce lots of smoke.”
“The Keamuku Maneuver Area (KMA) is the northernmost part of the Pohakuloa Training Area,” reports the US Army Garrison Hawaii. “The linear front of the fire spans approximately a half-mile and is about two miles from KMA’s nearest neighbor, the Waikii Ranch.”
Great to see such amazing work happening across the nation -- we are so grateful to be a part of this movement towards Fire Adapted Communities. Mahalo to USAA's Rob Galbraith and Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network for the feature and encouraging support.
"Finally, I had the unique opportunity to spend a day with Pablo Beimler and the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) on the Big Island in September. Pablo’s previous blog post captures much of what he shared with me, but I left so inspired by what HWMO has been able to accomplish with such a unique landscape (where fire is not a natural part of the ecology), being so remote from others and with limited resources. Their can-do spirit, willingness to innovate and strong sense of motivation and engagement has remained with me and inspires me to continue our work at USAA to further collaborate and support FAC Net members and affiliate members in their efforts."
Credit: Branden Lohrey / Hawaii News Now
Wildfires can have impacts even on your favorite hiking and recreational destinations. You can help protect your favorite places by volunteering with groups that hold flammable/invasive vegetation removal days or if there is not a group already doing it, a great place to start is to group up with others who want to protect those areas.
“One fire closed lanes in Kapolei, while a separate fire shut down the Koko Head hiking trail and gun range.
Eastbound lanes on Farrington Highway were closed near Honokai hale and Kalaeloa due to a fire that broke out around noon Sunday. That fire has since been contained.
Traffic was slow-going as east bound lanes were rerouted.
The Koko Head hike and gun range was also closed as firefighters battled a brush fire that also started around noon Sunday.
Witnesses in the area say that police blocked the entrance to the popular trail and did not let anyone enter the hike.”
"Firefighters survey the scene at mile marker 15 on Thursday afternoon." (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
Arson is a serious offense and can have detrimental consequences on our communities, lands, and waters. And, of course, fires tax our resources and put our brave firefighters in harm's way. Please report any suspicious activity to Hawaii Police Department at (808) 935-3311.
From the Source:
"
The brush fires were located near mile markers 22, 19, 16 and 15.5 and the highway’s intersection with Waikoloa Road in South Kohala. All of the fires were located on the makai side of the road, with the exception of the fire near mile marker 15.5.
The fire near the 15.5 mile marker was estimated at 25 acres, while the remaining four fires were kept small due to favorable conditions and quick response times. The fire burned primarily in state Department of Land and Natural Resources land."
Flickr.com: Bert Knottenbeld
Even though Australia is miles away from Hawaii, there are many commonalities with how wildfires (or bushfires, as they call it) behave on the continent versus Hawaii. Here’s a great article that explains how bushfires work — see if you can draw the parallels with Hawaii. The main difference? Wildfire is part of a natural cycle in Australian ecosystems, unlike in Hawaii where it is an introduced cycle.
“Peak fire conditions occur when there's a period of significant rainfall that causes plants to grow, followed by a hot spell that dries out this fuel. This means the bushfire seasons vary around Australia.”
“Bushfires typically move in a front — a thin line of burning grass or forest that inches forward as new material catches alight.
Radiant heat from the fire front warms the air ahead, drying out fuel, and causing volatile gases inside wood to escape – thus priming new fuel for the approaching fire.”
“Strong winds can sometimes blow burning embers ahead of the fire front, setting alight new patches of fuel in a process known as "spotting".
These patches of fire can then quickly grow and join up, forming one giant blaze, hundreds of metres or even kilometres wide. Such an event, known as "deep flaming", is more difficult for firefighters to control.
The heat and smoke given off from deep flaming can even create "pyrocumulonimbus" clouds that form over a bushfire.”
“'Different species have different life cycles, and some of their aspects of reproduction and regeneration may be linked to fire,' Professor Bradstock said.
An example of such a plant is the acacia, which requires the heat of a bushfire to crack its seed pods so it can germinate.”
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of protection.””
