West Maui Taxpayers Association
  • HOME
  • Olowalu Fire Station
  • WMTAPAC22
  • Affordable Housing
  • West Maui Lifesavers
  • Wall of Honor
  • Support WMTA
    • Membership - One Time Payment
    • Membership - Recurring Payment
    • Donations
    • Wills & Trusts
    • Charity Walk
  • Newsletter
  • Emergency Planning
  • News Blog
  • About Us
    • Goals & Objectives
    • Accomplishments
    • Board of Directors
    • WMTA vs WMIF
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Wildfire & Drought Lookout! News Release-2019

7/1/2019

0 Comments

 
​From: Dennison, Dan W <dan.w.dennison@hawaii.gov>
Sent: July 1, 2019 10:52 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Wildfire & Drought Lookout! News Release-2019 Awareness and Preparedness Campaign Kick-Off, July 1, 2019
 

NEWS RELEASE
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2019
 
ANNUAL MULTI-AGENCY WILDFIRE & DROUGHT LOOK OUT! CAMPAIGN BEGINS
Busy Summer-Fall Fire Season & Spreading Drought Conditions Predicted
 
(Honolulu) – Don’t let last week’s heavy rains fool you and create a sense of complacency.
All signs point to a busy time for wildland firefighters across the state, fueled by higher than normal temperatures, drought conditions, and abundant vegetation created by two successive rainy winter seasons.
 
Michael Walker, State Fire Forester for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), repeated a common refrain, “Like everywhere else in the west, Hawai‘i does not have a specific fire season.  It used to be we geared up for battling wildland fires in late summer and early fall, as those times historically were the most common times for big fires. Driven by our changing, warming climate, fire season here in the islands, like in all western states on the mainland, is now year around.”
 
The retired chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) confirmed this during a presentation in Honolulu last week.  Ken Pimlott recounted the 2018 fire season as the most destructive and deadly in California history, with more than 1.8 million acres burned, 22,000 structures destroyed, and 100 lives lost.  While Hawai‘i‘s wildland fire statistics are unlikely to ever reach California’s levels, as a percentage of land mass impacted by wildfire annually, Hawai‘i is no different than much larger states.
 
More evidence of a year-around fire season was provided by a 2,150 acre fire that burned on Agribusiness Development Corporation land on west Kaua‘i in mid-June between the two highways leading to Waimea Canyon and Koke‘e State Parks.  Sheri S. Mann, DOFAW Kaua‘i Branch Chief said, “This fire burned in the exact same area as a wildland fire in May this year and May of 2017; it basically burns there almost every year. It suggests that as land and fire managers we need to consider shifting our thinking towards changing forest and grassland management regimes.” Mann suggests that rather than putting out fires in the same places year after year, management needs to transition into identifying areas that burn repeatedly and then take steps to reduce the fuel types, loads and human activities to mitigate fire potential in advance.
 
Clay Trauernicht, a Wildland Fire Specialist with the University of Hawai‘i’s Cooperative Extension Service traces how the potential for wildland fire has steadily grown over the years. He explained, “"Agriculture and ranching declines have left us with about one million acres of non-native grasses and shrubs statewide. This vegetation is incredibly prone to burning during drought. Clearing and cleaning up the brush on your property is critical for the safety of your family, home, and our firefighters.  On top of this, we have some of the highest frequencies of fire starts in the US.  About 75% of those ignitions are accidental, which means they can be prevented.  So take care with campfires, BBQs, using machinery and running cars over and around dry grass.  We also see big spikes in wildfires around the holidays so please follow the laws and be especially safe around fireworks this upcoming Independence Day."
 
While last week’s rains may have provided some temporary relief from drought conditions in certain areas across the state, meteorologists predict a possible steady worsening of extraordinarily dry weather caused by moderate El Niño weather patterns. The United States Drought Monitor (June 27, 2019) shows extreme drought already impacting the southernmost part of Hawai‘i Island with moderate to severe drought conditions evident in certain areas on all of the main Hawaiian Islands.  The Drought Monitor reports, “On June 25, an unusual low pressure system for this time of year brought heavy rainfall to the western Hawaiian Islands, including a daily record of 4.20 inches at Honolulu. The effects of this heavy rainfall on the drought status in Hawaii will be reassessed later this week.”
 
Derek Wroe, a meteorologist at NOAA's National Weather Service Honolulu Forecast Office explained, "People should not be lulled into thinking that recent rainfall over some islands will eliminate drought conditions over the entire state. With our hotter and drier months still ahead, current drought conditions have the potential to become more pronounced over portions of the state."
 
Elizabeth Pickett, the head of the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) said what’s most important is what happens before a wildfire sparks. She explained, “Firefighting is the last line of defense when it comes to wildfire.  It is up to everyone, residents and visitors alike, to prevent wildfire by eliminating any chance for heat or sparks to come in contact with dry vegetation.  There is also a lot that can be done around your home and community to reduce wildfire’s ability to spread and cause widespread damage. It can be as simple as keeping your grass short, removing dead branches and leaves, and clearing your rain gutters of debris. Finally, make and practice your emergency plan with your family, and with any neighbors who might need help preparing for or evacuating from a wildfire.”
 
HWMO hosts a website with information on what home and property owners can do to “harden” their properties against the threat of wildfire.
 
# # #
 
 
 
(RESOURCES)
(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)
 
HD video – Waimea Heights Fire (5-16-17):
https://vimeo.com/217772126
 
HD video – CalFire Chief Ken Pimlott Presentation (6-24-18):
https://vimeo.com/344247310
 
Photographs – Waimea Heights Fire (5-16-17)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lkhq49cgitxabjw/AADUWu3wB-kRIiFPC9BDp0u4a?dl=0
 
United States Drought Monitor (Hawai‘i Conditions)
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?HI
 
Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization:
http://www.hawaiiwildfire.org/lookout
 
 
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Dennison
DLNR Senior Communications Manager
(808) 587-0396
dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov
 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    RSS Feed


    If you wish to further discuss blog posts, please contat our office directly or contact us via Contact page.

    Categories

    All
    Affordable Housing & Homelessness
    Board
    Capital Improvements
    Charity Walk
    Commentaries
    Community Events
    Community Resources
    CON
    COVID 19
    Educational
    Emergency Planning
    Health & Safety
    HHARP
    Housing
    Infrastructure In West Maui
    In The News
    Kapalua Airport Runway Lights
    Kapalua Coastal Trail
    Lahaina Bypass
    Legislature Newsletters
    LLC
    Long Range Transportation Plan 2040
    Long-Range Transportation Plan 2040
    Makila
    MAUI CANCER CENTER
    Maui Cancer Center Llc
    Maui County
    Maui County Budget
    Maui County Dept Of Environmental Management
    Maui County - Dept Of Water
    Maui Destination Management Plan
    Press
    Public Safety In West Maui
    Real Property Tax
    Recycling Info
    TAT
    Tax
    Tourism
    Traffic & Roadways
    Transportation
    Video
    Vote
    Voting
    West Maui Community Plan
    West Maui Hospital
    West Maui Skate Park
    WMTA Annual Meeting
    WMTA Breakfast Events
    WMTA Candidates Night
    WMTA Disaster Preparedness
    WMTA Fundraisers
    WMTA Hot Topics
    Wmta Hot Topics Replay
    WMTA Membership
    WMTA PAC
    WMTA Sunset Sail
    WMTA Whale Watch

Quick Links: 

Home

News

About Us

Wall of Honor

Newsletter

Support WMTA
Emergency Planning

Contact

Copyright © 2021
Photo used under Creative Commons from wolfsavard
  • HOME
  • Olowalu Fire Station
  • WMTAPAC22
  • Affordable Housing
  • West Maui Lifesavers
  • Wall of Honor
  • Support WMTA
    • Membership - One Time Payment
    • Membership - Recurring Payment
    • Donations
    • Wills & Trusts
    • Charity Walk
  • Newsletter
  • Emergency Planning
  • News Blog
  • About Us
    • Goals & Objectives
    • Accomplishments
    • Board of Directors
    • WMTA vs WMIF
  • Contact
  • Subscribe