Hawaii Wildfire

Management Organization

E s t a b l i s h e d 2 0 0 2

Protecting Hawaii’s Communities and Irreplaceable Natural and Cultural Resources from Wildfire

HWMO History and Mission

Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and natural resources across the Hawaiian Islands from the devastating impacts of wildfire. HWMO was founded in 2002 by a diverse group of stakeholders including scientists, ranchers, land managers, representatives of state and federal agencies, fire fighters, and environmentalists who came together to characterize wildfire threats and develop strategies to mitigate those

threats. HWMO is the only organization of its kind in the state and operates with a passion for innovation and through extensive collaboration. Cumulatively, its diverse Board of Directors, Technical Advisory Committee, agency partners, and staff offer the best wildfire mitigation expertise in Hawaii. Through the implementation of projects such as fuelbreaks, diptanks, outreach efforts, community workshops, and wildfire protection plans, HWMO’s work has saved lives and homes, safeguarded communities, enhanced firefighting, and protected some of the last remaining native dryland forests from wildfire.

Hawaii's ecosystems are not adapted to fire. Damage from

wildfire can be devastating in many ways, including:

1) Threatening human lives, homes, and communities.

2) Causing soil erosion and thus:

* decreasing air quality & impacting human health.* polluting run off that affects the oceans & reefs.

3) Destroying native plants & forests, especially Hawaii’s dryland forests, thus:

* depriving native animals of their homes, hurting the island economy by decreasing

agricultural capabilities

* increasing the spread of flammable invasives creating a vicious cycle of hazardous conditions

that are susceptible to accidental or intentional fires (a vast majority of fires in Hawaii are

human ignited)

* perpetuating the cycle, over and over again!

The Challenge The HopeMuch can be achieved if everyone does their part! A

collaborative effort among Hawaii’s residents and landowners, natural resource managers, and fire agencies,

can substantially reduce the threat of wildfire. At HWMO,

we are committed to facilitating this type of multi-faceted, multi-partner approach.

Enhanced Fire Suppression Capabilities

Increased Community Awareness and Participation

Protection & Restoration of Natural Resources

HawaiiWildfire.org

HWMO is the only non-profit organization in Hawaii that focuses specifically on wildfire prevention, preparedness, and mitigation projects.

We devote a large portion of our

time and effort towards educating community members of all ages

about wildfire, which in turn fosters

community empowerment and action-taking.

Our projects include:

* Waikoloa Dryland Safety Park* In-School Assemblies

* Outreach Events* Community Workshops

* KNOW FIRE K-8th Wildfire

Curriculum (Youth education pictured below)

Effective actions taken before

wildfires occur can drastically reduce the size, severity, frequency, damage,

and costs of wildland fires. Through

research collaborations and our own GIS mapping and spatial analyses,

HWMO has been able to identify key resource needs and high hazard

priority areas and issues. We use this

information to implement pre-fire risk reduction projects on high-risk

fire-prone private and public lands.

Our projects include:

* Community-Based Fuels Reduction

and Defensible Space * Communities at Risk Assessments

* Community Wildfire Protection

Plans (CWPPs)* Wildfire Hazard Assessments

* Helicopter Dip Tank Installations* Living and Conventional Fuel

Breaks (Puako Fuelbreak below)

The aftermath of a fire poses

unprecedented challenges in Hawaii due to our unique ecology and the

immediate link between upland

ecosystem damage and downslope/ coastal impacts. At HWMO, we are

working with statewide partners to build a greater understanding of

social and ecological post-fire options

for restoring burned landscapes and creating more resilient human and

natural communities.

Our projects include:

* Fire History Mapping and Analysis

(pictured above)* Post-fire Rehabilitation Assessment

Manual

Prevention Pre-Suppression Post-Fire

“Hawaii  Wildfire  Management  Organiza4on’s  work  is  making  a  difference.  For  instance,  the  HWMO  fuelbreak  at  Waikoloa  gave  firefighters  a  chance  to  stop  the  fire  before  it  entered  the  Village.  The  diptanks  we  installed  allow  for  faster  fire  suppression.  We  are  also  building  on  our  unique  research  on  fire  fuels  management  to  increase  mi4ga4on  effec4veness.”            -­‐  Miles  Nakahara,  HWMO  Board  President

Elizabeth Pickett, Executive Director65-1279 Kawaihae Rd., Suite 211Kamuela, HI 96743t: (808) 885-0900e: admin@hawaiiwildfire.org

HawaiiWildfire.org