May is Wildfire Awareness Month

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and Kaua‘i Fire Department advises the Garden Isle community to prepare now before the upcoming drier summer season, when the chances for devastating blazes to spark increases.

A brush fire that ignited Wednesday, scorching about 2 acres in a Kōke‘e valley to which Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife crews will return today (May 8), could be just a small precursor to what’s to come.

“Wildfires have the potential to cause significant destruction to our homes, communities and public spaces,” Kaua‘i Fire Chief Michael Gibson said in a release about Wildfire Awareness Month. “Our residents and businesses must take preventative measures to mitigate wildfires, especially when we head into the drier summer season.”

Kaua‘i Fire Department offers these tips:

• REMOVE dead vegetation and other flammable materials, especially within the first 5 feet of your home.
• INVASIVE GRASSES such as Guinea grass and koa haole overgrow when unmanaged, creating a significant fire hazard. Weed them often and consider replanting with low-lying, drought–tolerant, native ground cover.
• REMOVE flammable materials from decks, porches, lanai and underneath the house. Common flammables include scrap wood, firewood and combustible furniture.
• KEEP your lawn hydrated and shorter than 4 inches tall around your home. Do not mow in the day’s heat or when the wind blows; never mow in dry vegetation.
• HAVE an escape route to a clear area safe from rapid fire spread.
• REPORT any possible fires, including signs of smoke or flames, by calling Kaua‘i Police dispatch at 808-241-1711, or 9-1-1 if it is an emergency.

The Fire Department also collaborated with Kaua‘i Emergency Management, Kaua‘i Police Department and the mayor’s public information team about enhancements to public alert messaging and improvements to operational coordination through:

• Responder and incident management team training.
• Leveraging new technologies and other response initiatives reflecting the county’s ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness and public safety.

Kaua‘i Fire Department is hosting a wildfire preparedness collaboration meeting this month with large landowners and land stewards. Interested landowners can contact Fire Prevention Capt. Kaeo Kinoshita at jkinoshita@kauai.gov for more information.

For more tips to prevent wildfires, visit the Kaua‘i Fire Department website and download the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization Fire Action Guide by clicking “Wildland Fire Action Guide & Safety Tips.”

Residents and businesses can follow local and government media and broadcast channels for the most up-to-date information.

Here is a list of important resources for emergency preparedness:

• Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency: kauai.gov/kema.
• National Weather Service: weather.gov/hfo or automated weather line at 808-245-6001.
• Road and closure conditions: 808-241-1725.

Sign up for the Wireless Emergency Notification System, the county’s emergency notification service, by visiting the Kaua‘i Emergency Management website and clicking “WENS.”

You may also call Kaua‘i Emergency Management at 808-241-1800.

“We thank the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization and all our partners for their collaboration to keep our community safe from wildfires,” said Gibson.