Presentations

Hawaii Island (Hilo) Vegetative Fuels Management Collaborative Action Planning Workshop

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Fire follows fuel. On February 22 at the Hawaii Innovation Center in Hilo, we convened a large group of 20 people on Hawaii Island representing a patchwork of different agencies, groups, and organizations across a variety of fields to come together to plan for collaborative, large-scale vegetation management to reduce wildfire risks throughout the island. This was part of a series of workshops on Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island we held in February on this matter (we had a similar meeting on Maui in 2018).

During the workshop, participants:

  • Checked out the results of recent efforts to map current management of hazardous vegetative fuels (thanks to all of the information that partners contributed).

  • Identified and discussed shared regional fuels management priorities to mitigate the risks of wildfire across our island landscapes through a facilitated series of small and large group conversations.

Mayor Harry Kim sharing about the importance of fuels management for public safety.

Mayor Harry Kim sharing about the importance of fuels management for public safety.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

Chief Eric Moller pointing out values at risk at PTA.

Chief Eric Moller pointing out values at risk at PTA.

The knowledge and priorities of the participants will contribute to planning next steps in the ongoing collaboration to manage vegetative fuels to reduce wildfire and protect our communities and natural resources.

We are all in this together and it takes all of us!

Stay tuned via our website, social media, and e-newsletter (sign up at the bottom of this page) for final project-related products before this summer.

Mahalo DOFAW, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension / Pacific Fire Exchange for co-organizing with us.

Special thank you to Mayor Harry Kim, Chief Moller from US Army-Garrison, FES and Chief Okinaka from Hawaii Fire Department for joining us at the workshop.

Kauai Vegetative Fuels Management Collaborative Action Planning Workshop

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Fire follows fuel. On February 21 at the War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue, we convened a large group of 23 people on Kauai representing a patchwork of different agencies, groups, and organizations across a variety of fields to come together to plan for collaborative, large-scale vegetation management to reduce wildfire risks throughout the island. This was part of a series of workshops on Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island we held in February on this matter (we had a similar meeting on Maui in 2018).

During the workshop, participants:

  • Checked out the results of recent efforts to map current management of hazardous vegetative fuels (thanks to all of the information that partners contributed).

  • Identified and discussed shared regional fuels management priorities to mitigate the risks of wildfire across our island landscapes through a facilitated series of small and large group conversations.

Dr. Clay Trauernicht presenting on fuels management strategies.

Dr. Clay Trauernicht presenting on fuels management strategies.

Voting for priority project ideas.

Voting for priority project ideas.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

The knowledge and priorities of the participants will contribute to planning next steps in the ongoing collaboration to manage vegetative fuels to reduce wildfire and protect our communities and natural resources.

We are all in this together and it takes all of us!

Stay tuned via our website, social media, and e-newsletter (sign up at the bottom of this page) for final project-related products before this summer.

Mahalo DOFAW, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension / Pacific Fire Exchange for co-organizing with us.

Special thank you to Chief Kilipaki Vaughan of Kauai Fire Department, Chief Akiyama of Navy PMRF and Councilmembers Kipukai Kualiʻi and Felicia Cowden for joining us and supporting this important work.

Oahu Vegetative Fuels Management Collaborative Action Planning Workshop

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Fire follows fuel. On February 19 at the Mililani District Park, we convened a large group of 33 people on Oahu representing a patchwork of different agencies, groups, and organizations across a variety of fields to come together to plan for collaborative, large-scale vegetation management to reduce wildfire risks throughout the island. This was part of a series of workshops on Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island we held in February on this matter (we had a similar meeting on Maui in 2018).

During the workshop, participants:

  • Checked out the results of recent efforts to map current management of hazardous vegetative fuels (thanks to all of the information that partners contributed).

  • Identified and discussed shared regional fuels management priorities to mitigate the risks of wildfire across our island landscapes through a facilitated series of small and large group conversations.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

Marking values at risk and areas for fuels treatments.

More identifying of key areas.

More identifying of key areas.

Voting for priority project ideas.

Voting for priority project ideas.

The knowledge and priorities of the participants will contribute to planning next steps in the ongoing collaboration to manage vegetative fuels to reduce wildfire and protect our communities and natural resources.

We are all in this together and it takes all of us!

Stay tuned via our website, social media, and e-newsletter (sign up at the bottom of this page) for final project-related products before this summer.

Mahalo DOFAW, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension / Pacific Fire Exchange for co-organizing with us.

Kohala Waterfront Firewise Educational Evening

Kohala Waterfront Wildfire Prep Day 2018

Kohala Waterfront Wildfire Prep Day 2018

Kohala Waterfront, a relatively new community in Kawaihae, invited HWMO’s Pablo Akira Beimler to join them for an educational evening on wildfire preparedness. In 2017, Kohala Waterfront became the 3rd community in Kawaihae on Hawaii Island to be nationally recognized as a Firewise Community. As an annual requirement, a Firewise Community must hold at least one educational event.

On February 11, 18 Kohala Waterfront homeowners gathered at the home of Firewise Chair, Marla Herman (Marla and her husband, Scott were amazing hosts). Pablo kicked off the night with a presentation on the Firewise Communities program, Ready, Set, Go!, and lessons learned from the memorable 2018 wildfire year in Hawaii. Following his presentation, Ms. Herman demonstrated what to pack in a “Go! bag” — the essentials that you need to evacuate early when a wildfire is in the area.

Mahalo Marla and the rest of the Kohala Waterfront Firewise Committee for continuing to raise the wildfire awareness level each year!

Firewise Update Presentation with Kailapa Community Association Annual Meeting

Several updates were given at the meeting, including from HWMO.

Several updates were given at the meeting, including from HWMO.

On January 13, HWMO’s Pablo Beimler joined Kailapa Community Association for their annual meeting, which drew dozens of community members from the Hawaiian homestead community in Kawaihae. Pablo shared updates on the upcoming wildfire season, ReadySetGo! and Wildfire LOOKOUT! tips, and Firewise Communities information. Kailapa has been a nationally-recognized Firewise Community since 2016 and they continue to do a stellar job of taking action within the community to protect their area from wildfire. Mahalo Kailapa!

Kanehoa Firewise Networking Gathering

Puukapu Pastoral Firewise members share background on their community’s wildfire issues with the group.

Puukapu Pastoral Firewise members share background on their community’s wildfire issues with the group.

Kanehoa, the 2nd community to become a Firewise Community in Hawaii, has been a standout community for their Firewise leadership. Continuing to demonstrate that leadership quality, they hosted an inter-Firewise Community exchange on October 20, inviting all other Firewise Communities to join them for a networking gathering. HWMO joined the fun and learning, sharing the latest tips on wildfire preparedness and updates on the organization in general. Members from Puukapu Pastoral Firewise and Kohala Waterfront also joined in. Big mahalo to the Kanehoa Firewise Committee for inviting us and their work over the years!

3 Firewise Communities represented proudly at the gathering.

3 Firewise Communities represented proudly at the gathering.

Waikoloa Firewise Community Forum

The August wildfire that burned 18,000 acres (2nd largest in recent Hawaii history) near Waikoloa was a close call for community members. Communications from agencies to residents were a challenge and a hot topic (pun intended) at the Waikoloa Firewise Community Forum on September 27. More than 50 residents and a number of speakers representing various agencies and legislative offices were present to recap the pluses and minuses of the response to the massive wildfire. Thank you to Waikoloa Fire Management Action Committee for inviting HWMO and putting together this successful event!

Waikii Ranch 2nd Annual Firewise BBQ

Education is fun — and definitely when food is involved! For the 2nd straight year, Waikii Ranch held a Firewise BBQ for its members as part of their Firewise Communities efforts. HWMO was invited as one of several wildfire speakers, sharing information on wildfire preparedness (Firewise, ReadySetGo!, etc.) and the latest updates about HWMO.

Waikii Ranch has been a Firewise Community since 2017 and are working towards a 2nd year as a nationally-recognized site. We know they can do it!

Waianae Mountains Watershed Partnership Meeting Presentation

View of the wildland-urban interface of West Oahu from atop Palehua.

View of the wildland-urban interface of West Oahu from atop Palehua.

HWMO’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler, met with Waianae Mountains Watershed Partnership on June 26 in Palehua on the leeward slopes of the Waianae Mountains in West Oahu. Pablo presented and introduced to the group the vegetative fuels management mapping project HWMO was coordinating to improve landscape-level prioritization, collaboration, and funding capabilities of fuels management. HWMO will be working with the partnership to hold a workshop in the coming months to gather data for the project.

Banner photo: Conservation managers, members of the Waianae Mountains Watershed Partnership, assess damages to the native forest preserve areas after the Nanakuli Fire in 2016. Photo credit: Dr. Clay Trauernicht, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension

Annual Kauai Brushfire Meeting 2018

For this year’s annual Kauai Brushfire Meeting, HWMO’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Pickett, flew to Kauai and joined a room full of first responders (including Chief Robert Westerman), other agency officials, and land managers to share updates and plans for the coming months in preparation for wildfires. Kauai may be the Garden Island, but wildfires are a frequent occurrence on the island during drier periods and especially during droughts, which are predicted to be a possibility in the beginning of 2019.

Kauai Brushfire Meeting brings together government, NGO, and local business representatives together to keep each other updated on the latest wildfire news and management projects. Photos are from the 2016 meeting.

Kauai Brushfire Meeting brings together government, NGO, and local business representatives together to keep each other updated on the latest wildfire news and management projects. Photos are from the 2016 meeting.