Posted on: Saturday, May 14, 2005

EDITORIAL
Big Leeward brushfire a fire safety reminder

The brushfire in Nanakuli and Lualualei this week worried residents and schoolchildren who watched the flames ignite the foliage near their homes and within sight of their classrooms.

It also should concern all Hawai'i residents, and spur them into taking precaution to protect themselves.

Fire investigators believe the blaze, which scorched about 1,700 acres by yesterday, was deliberately set. However, the dry spell of the past several weeks intensified its effects; with hot summer months ahead, the weather ought to concern everyone as a potential threat to their own homes and communities.

It's unrealistic to imagine that brush fires could be anything but a perennial problem, especially on the arid Wai'anae Coast. Fire officials said that heavier-than-usual winter rains encouraged lush growth in the Leeward valleys, vegetation that turned to a tinder box as the rainfall ebbed.

As a macro solution seems elusive, the Honolulu Fire Department offers tips to help residents safeguard homes at risk — suggestions that should be heeded everywhere.

Grass and brush that have grown tall should be clipped. Trees growing close to homes should be cut back.

Household members must review evacuation rules and be informed where important medications are kept. When it's time to leave, families need to leave quickly.

This is sensible advice, as it is residents who must take the lead in minimizing potential fire loss.