It is frightening to realize that what happened to Lahaina could just as easily, and quickly, happen to any number of towns and districts around Hawaii. Too many areas have similar “hot spot” conditions: drought or dry lands; high ignition frequency; and fuel for fire, such as unchecked grasslands that become tinder.
The horrific lessons of Lahaina are many, but here’s a critical one: Wildfires are preventable, and each person and entity has responsibility to mitigate the dangers.
According to the Honolulu Fire Department, about 0.5% of Hawaii’s total land area burns each year, as much or greater than the proportion burned of any other U.S. state. And here’s the thing: More than 98% of wildfires here are human-caused, and most are accidental — which means they are avoidable. Prevention starts with education and leads to action.
For campers and outdoor users, that means ensuring all fires be 100% extinguished and covered, with zero chance for resparks. For homeowners, it’s clearing debris, vegetation, combustibles and other fire hazards around the house and property.
For property owners of vast acres of undeveloped fields, it’s time for heightened responsibilities. The state, itself a major landowner, and private corporations must redouble efforts for better land and fire management. This includes controlling overgrowth — but also planting sustainable crops instead of allowing fallow fields to be overtaken by invasive brush.
For energy operators such as Hawaiian Electric, it’s now painfully clear how critical it is to vigorously inspect, and repair, decaying power poles, transmission towers and arcing power lines in wilderness areas. It’s not just about preventing power disruptions anymore, but equally about minimizing fire dangers from downed lines.
The nonprofit Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (www.hawaiiwildfire.org/home) has excellent resources and tips — such as cutting back trees to create a “defensible space” between structures and the wildland area that, under normal conditions, is a buffer to slow or halt fire spread.
In a 2019 report, Hawaii Wildfire said Hawaii needs hundreds more miles of firebreaks to protect communities and environmental resources.
As reported Sept. 17 by Star-Advertiser writer Nina Wu, one example of a “green strip” against fire spread is being used by Waianae farmer Shermaih “Bulla” Iaea: a row of dragonfruit planted at his fenceline.
The type of vegetation planted also matters, noted Iaea, a retired firefighter. Dry kiawe trees can be dangerous because flames go vertical and embers rise. Invasive species are often fire-prone. Instead, planting native, drought-resistant trees can help prevent fires from starting and spreading. Another strategy used by Iaea that large landowners should adopt? Get sheep for “targeted grazing” on grasses and invasive vegetation.
Actions are needed as drought conditions in Hawaii worsen: More than 81% of the islands is now in moderate to severe drought, and that’s expected to continue for the next few months.
On Oahu, two hottest spots for fires are in the Waianae and Nanakuli valleys; notably, Hawaiian homesteads are in the vicinity. This summer, firefighters battled a dozen- plus fires in the Waianae area; blazes in populated Ewa Beach, Kapolei and Makakilo also kept crews busy.
In August 2018, three Maui wildfires destroyed more than 2,800 acres, about 21 structures and 30 vehicles, and forced evacuations. That should have been a major wake-up call for leaders but, appallingly, was not. No protective measures followed, despite that disaster and a 2021 Maui County commission report noting Maui’s 2019 “unprecedented wildfire season”: “The number of incidents from a combination of wild/brush/forest fires appears to be increasing, and … this increase poses an increased threat to citizens, properties, and sacred sites.”
The tragic incineration of Lahaina is forcing us, finally, to see the many wildfire dangers around us. At least 97 dead, 12,000 displaced and $6 billion in damage. That terrible toll must spur actions to prevent anything close to that from ever happening again.
