Wildfires in Hawaii

My first experiences with fire was growing up in a dry environment and watching wildfires darken and burn the native grasslands. I grew up on the leeward side of Kailua-Kona where the weather is arid and dry with seasonal rains. There are sprawling grasslands mixed with old lava flows and small urban developments. I spent a short amount of time volunteering for the County of Hawaii’s Fire Department, and during this time I learned about the areas mixture of housing development and wild land urban interface. It is in this area that there is the biggest potential for risk and loss of life and property damage. The risk of these fires impacting houses is determined by several factors, including the ignitability of fuels, structural ignitability, weather conditions and slope. Which is the basis of the Combustion triangle one of our topics in lecture.

Unlike the United States, wildfire is not a natural part of Hawaii’s ecosystem. Wildfires destroy the native ecosystems which also have a devastating impact on local watersheds. Wildfires have also caused the fragmentation of habitats of flora, many of which are already threatened or endangered such as the wili wili (grass). Wildfires in Hawaii also cause soil erosion that has drastic impacts on our ocean reefs.

It is sad but the majority of wildfires in Hawaii are caused by arson or human error. A few examples of this include burning trash, cooking, fireworks or agricultural fires that get out of control.  The continuance of invasive non-native plant species also accelerates the fires because they are high intensity burning fuels. Another constraint is lack of reliable water sources. Communities rely on private water, catchment basins and county water for the resources of the county fire department.

Another difficulty faced with certain non-native species such as fountain grass, is it’s ability to colonize lava flows in a very short time. As a result, the fountain grass fuels the fire within the fuel break.

I think within my limited knowledge of fire that vegetated fuel break corridors consisting of plants less likely to ignite or carry fire would provide steps towards communities becoming more prepared for wildfires.

Traditionally, grazing helps to reduce fuel loads and wildfire risk, but due to many varying circumstances, grazing has been reduced and or eliminated in these areas. There are examples of both managed and unmanaged grasslands below.

Unmanaged Grasslands in Kailua-Kona Hawaii.

Managed range lands in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.