05/03/24 City marks start of Wildfire Awareness Month on Oʻahu

City marks start of Wildfire Awareness Month on Oʻahu

HONOLULU - The City and County of Honolulu on Friday kicked off Wildfire Awareness Month with Mayor Blangiardi issuing a proclamation declaring May 4, 2024 to be Wildfire Community Preparedness Day across the City and County of Honolulu. Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a national initiative, held annually on the first Saturday of May, which encourages communities to take action to reduce wildfire risks.

A press conference Friday morning was attended by representatives from the Honolulu Fire Department, the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization and the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management and was designed to raise awareness about how residents can mitigate risks and minimize the impact of wildfires on Oʻahu.

"As we head into a summer that's anticipated to be hotter and drier than normal, with the increased threat of wildfires, it's imperative that each and every one of us take proactive measures to safeguard our homes and protect our families and our communities," said Battalion Chief J.C. Bisch, of the Honolulu Fire Department. "Hawaiʻi is not immune to wildfires, and we all know the destruction they can cause, but through education and action, we can create a safer and more resilient community."

"With wildfire prevention and preparedness, there's actually a lot we can do to safeguard our homes and our families from the risk of wildfire and their impacts," said Elizabeth Pickett, the director of the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. "Remember to clean up your yards, to sweep all those leaves that are around your home, to clean out your rain gutters and trim your grass. But as you're doing your yard work, you can think about how it's not just beautifying your property, but actually it's making your home and family safer."

By taking a few simple steps - safely storing fuels and flammable items, containing cooking fires and grills, and using caution when operating machinery, tools, or vehicles near vegetation - residents can save lives and minimize the risk of damage from wildfires.

The Honolulu Fire Department website includes a number of wildfire safety and prevention tips, including:

• Create at least a 30-foot safety zone around homes and structures by removing brush and other vegetation.
• Store flammable materials safely away from the exterior of your home.
• If it is something that can catch fire, do not let it touch your house.
• Report any suspicious activity you may have seen before, during, or after a fire.
• Keep fire lanes and access points near your property unobstructed, to ensure fire apparatuses can reach your home.
• Make and practice a family evacuation plan.
• Remember that wildland fires can spread to tree tops.
• Prune trees so that the lowest branches are six to ten feet from the ground.

Additional safety tips can be found here: https://fire.honolulu.gov/fire-and-life-safety/wildland-fire-preparedness/

-PAU-