Hawaii officials urge wildfire prevention as summer dry season ramps up

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The message from emergency leaders and their partners was clear Tuesday: Prepare now and do your part to prevent wildfires.

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Fire mascots Smokey the Bear and Kaleo the Pueo were on hand at a news conference to spread awareness about wildfire safety.

“The more prepared our communities are before a wildfire starts, the safer our residents, our neighborhoods, and our firefighters will be during an emergency,” Honolulu Fire Department Assistant Chief Reid Yoshida said.

Emergency crews want everyone to do their part to prevent the start of disastrous wildfires. They know that preparation can avoid a repeat of the Lahaina catastrophe, or even the tragedy in Maili last summer, where a wildfire killed an elderly flower farmer and destroyed a family’s property.

“Honolulu Fire Department is upstaffing, so we’re gonna be preparing with brush trucks,” Battalion Chief Pao Chi Hwang said. “We have increased our response with more trucks going to dispatched instances of wildfires.”

HFD said they are also compiling a list of known fire risk areas, and are preparing for quick responses when they’re needed.

What can families do to prepare?

Cutback overgrown plants. Avoid using tools and equipment that generate heat or sparks in dry areas, and have an evacuation plan ready to go.

“No plants touching the house. No leaf piles, no mulch beds. Keep that area, the first five feet, lean, clean and green,” Nani Barretto of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization said.

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Something as simple as an improperly discarded cigarette or grill coals in the wind can ignite intense infernos.

“Understand, no matter how committed they are, no matter how resourceful we are, we need you to help us,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said.

HFD also took a moment of silence to honor three fallen firefighters who were killed in Colorado over the weekend battling wildfires there.

“Their sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the risks firefighters face every time they answer the call to protect others,” Yoshida said.

As the green brush from the wet season dries out, HFD said they’re also enforcing fire codes and property maintenance.

In the worst cases, owners who don’t address overgrown, dried out brush could be subject to fines of up to $1,000, and even jail time. Concerned residents can contact the fire department to inspect and address potentially hazardous areas.

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For more information, visit: hwmo.org/lookout