Officials stress fire safety for summer
By Jessica Webster
Advertiser Staff Writer
As Hawai'i enters its fourth year of a statewide drought, the state's fire departments and natural resources officials are asking the public to think about wildfires and act safely.
Moisture levels in Hawai'i are at half of what is considered normal, according to Patrick Costales, in the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Costales fears it could be a dangerous summer.
"It's dry now, and we shudder to think what the end of the summer will look like," he said. "We'll be forever vigilant, but the public needs to be careful around the barbecue."
HFD Capt. Richard Soo warns that brushfires are no longer a town versus country issue, and he points to hot zones in St. Louis Heights and Hawai'i Kai as examples where residents should take extra precautions.
"We're not only talking about large vacant lands," Soo said. "Take the area next to the Oahu Country Club for instance; we don't want the general public to ignore this problem because they live in town."
A handful of major brushfires last summer in Wai'anae — one that burned 1,100 acres and one that jumped a highway and damaged three homes — led to firefighter shortage problems across the island because firefighters were pulled from their posts to help, Soo said. Fires in the Wai'anae area generally double in number in the summer.
On other islands, Big Island fire fighters are preparing for the consequences of parched land. They will be testing the successes of a new interagency coordinating group that formed this year in Hilo to provide more training and support to battle wildfires. In the past few years of the drought, some Big Island fires have been in the 10,000-acre range, at a cost of almost $50 million.
And Maui and Kaua'i fire departments started battling hot spots and forest fires during the spring, before the often-sweltering temperatures of summer.
Safety tips by the Honolulu Fire Department include practicing wildfire safety, protecting your home and creating a family emergency plan that includes showing responsible family members how to shut off water, gas and electricity.
Soo suggested making sure fire vehicles can get to the home, planning escape routes and teaching children about fire safety. Additionally, it is important to regularly clean roofs and gutters, install smoke detectors in each level of the home, and keep a ladder that will reach the roof.
Around the house — rake leaves, dead limbs and twigs, and regularly dispose of newspapers and rubbish. Also, clear an area around propane tanks and the barbecue.
To learn more about fire hazards, call the Honolulu Fire Department at 831-7765.
