Wildfire Mitigation Initiatives
Fundamental to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ (DHHL) mission is its commitment to safeguarding its homesteads from the ravages of wildfire. Partnering with the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) to recognize homesteads statewide is a priority for DHHL and an actionable first step to building fire-resilient communities.
Through collaborative efforts with HWMO, the department aims to ensure its homesteads are well-prepared against the threat of wildfires. This collective effort involves educating homesteaders of fire prevention methods and emergency preparedness.
Wildfire mitigation is part of a larger initiative to protect our ‘āina ho‘opulapula for the benefit of future generations. By cultivating proactive communities, we can preserve the rich heritage of our ‘āina, ensuring it remains a thriving and integral part of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana’ole’s legacy.
Anahola, Kauaʻi 2023 (Image Courtesy: Kauaʻi Fire Department)
Community wildfire videos
To learn more about the department’s statewide wildfire initiatives and the on-the-ground efforts of our homestead communities, visit the DHHL’s YouTube channel.
DHHL & HWMO Wildfire Symposium:
Preparing For The Next Wildfire
In partnership with the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, along with wildfire and emergency management experts and first responders, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands hosted a wildfire symposium in August 2024.
Leaders from more than 50 homestead associations across the state gathered with local lawmakers and DHHL staff to discuss the dangers wildfires pose to their communities and explored strategies for wildfire mitigation.
Attendees voiced their communities’ concerns and shared the measures taken to create fire-resilient homesteads. Participants left with valuable tips for improving safety and the opportunity to become recognized as Firewise communities.
fire MITIGATION INTERVIEWS
“99% of fires in Hawai’i are human-caused. This is very much a human problem, which means it’s going to require a human solution.”
Nani Barretto, HWMO Co-executive Director
“We need to be a part of the solution in keeping our people and community safe.”
Hawaiian Homes Maui Commissioner Archie Kalepa, Leialiʻi homesteader
“Sometimes you need to be your own hero. The efforts you put in beforehand in preparation might save you one day.”
KFD Fire Captain Jeremie Makepa, Anahola homesteader
media releases
Anahola Nonprofit Leads Fire Mitigation Efforts on Hawaiian Homelands
ANAHOLA, KAUAʻI – Dozens of high school students and volunteers removed over 30 abandoned cars from a parcel of Hawaiian homelands in Anahola Thursday as part of a community effort to reduce the risk of wildfires in the area. The workday marks the one-year anniversary of a wildfire that threatened nearby neighborhoods…
Villages of Leialiʻi Completes Firewise Community Hazard Assessment
LAHAINA, MAUI – Kai Pelayo recalls being among the final few homesteaders to evacuate as fast-moving flames encroached upon the Villages of Leialiʻi on August 8, 2023. As he stepped into the ash-laden streets of his Lahaina neighborhood, he was met by an impenetrable wall of black smoke, leaving him with no clear path in sight. Fourteen months…
Homestead Communities, Leader Recognized For Wildfire Mitigation Efforts
KAILUA-KONA, HAWAIʻI ISLAND – When an illegal fireworks incident set a hillside in Papakōlea between Kapahu and Laukea Street ablaze on New Year’s Eve in 2023, the need for change sparked within Noel Shaw. “Because we had Lahaina, we were even more sensitive to the realities of what a fire like what happened on New Year’s could…