Kaua‘i Fire Department Urges Residents to Be Prepared For Brush Fires

Drier summer conditions starting later this month could spark brush fires, and the Kaua‘i Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau wants the public to be prepared.

“The KFD Fire Prevention bureau has been working with other agencies and partners across Kaua‘i and the state to prepare for higher-than-average wildfire activity,” Deputy Fire Chief Michael Gibson said in a news release. “Weather forecasting from (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) suggests drought conditions starting in late June. This means we could have an early and long brush fire season.”

KFD is assessing the Wildland-Urban interface areas of the island to identify any homes that could be at risk for brush fires.

Hawaii Wildfire provides guidebooks with checklists to help residents prepare their homes for fire safety. A digital version can be downloaded here.

Residents can also take the following actions to prevent fire spreading to their homes:

• Weed around the property regularly, especially areas where a lawn mower is not appropriate.
• Remove leaf litter and other debris that accumulate around the building, under vegetation and other collection areas.
• Remove leaf litter, straw and other debris from under and around propane tanks to create 10 feet of clearance.
• Eliminate ladder fuels by pruning tree branches around the property to within at least 6 feet of the ground.
• Remove flammable materials from underneath the house, decks, porches and lanai.
• Mow the lawn regularly to keep grasses shorter than 4 inches tall around the home. Never cut in dry vegetation. Do not mow in the heat of the day or when the wind is blowing.

“The KFD Prevention Bureau will drop off printed versions of these guidebooks to each fire station, along with a letter from KFD stating the situation and urgency that affected households at risk for brush fires be prepared,” Prevention Bureau Capt. Jeremie Makepa said in the release. “We are working to ensure that all areas of concern have been identified and guidebooks distributed to these households.”