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I. State
Fire Assistance Program (SFA)
A. Goal. To
provide protection for forest, brush, natural areas, and
grassland to the extend needed to hold fire damage below the
level at which it would interfere with high-level, sustained
yield of products and services from these lands.
B.
Objectives.
Provide fire protection coverage on 3,360,000
acres throughout the State.
1.
Prevention
Mission. To minimize man-caused
fires by improving DOFAW's prevention program via training
and adoption of contemporary techniques for public education
measures.
Goals.
- Carry out the Cooperative Forest Fire Fire Prevention
Campaign, e.g. brochures, posters, signing, etc.
- Participate in fire prevention activities, e.g.
Smokey Bear appearances at various parades, schools, farm
fair venues, etc.
- Cooperate with County fire and emergency response
agencies in the development of a fire mitigation
component as part of the El Niño emergency
response plan for calendar year 1998.
- Assist the Hawai'i County Fire Department in
developing a wildland/urban interface defensible space
program.
Accomplishments:
- We continued to provide fire safety and prevention
brochures statewide to our various ethnic communities. A
new "Smokey Hula Girl" poster was also developed and is
made available to the public.
- Smokey Bear has made many appearances throughout the
state at county fairs, schools, and other venues. Smokey
appeared for the first time at the 4th of July
parade in Kailua, O'ahu, where his parade float took
3rd prize. Smokey was involved with the
Honolulu Fire Department's fire prevention campaign
during Fire Prevention Week in October, making
appearances at various schools and shopping malls. He
made an appearance at the Friends of the Children
Advocacy Center's "Chef and Maui Child Food Fair" in
cooperation with the Maui County Fire Department. Smokey
also appeared with Sparky the Fire Dog at four elementary
schools on Kaua'i during Fire Prevention Week. He also
appeared at the Kaua'i County Farm Bureau Fair.
- During calendar year 1998, Hawai'i suffered its worst
drought in the last 10 years. Wildfires were also rampant
during the year. DOFAW assisted the four county civil
defense agencies in developing a fire mitigation
component as part of the county's emergency response plan
that was required of them by the Governor and the State
Civil Defense Agency.
- DOFAW has been involved with the Hawai'i County Fire
Department in developing a wildland/urban interface
program throughout the year. However, the project is
still ongoing and DOFAW will continue to work with the
county.
Other
Accomplishments:
- Smokey made an appearance at the Honolulu City Lights
Christmas lighting ceremony. This particular event is
attended by at least 20,000 people. Smokey paraphernalia
was handed out, making this event a "double Santa" event!
Smokey also made an appearance at the Pride in Public
Service venue at the Department of Land & Natural
Resources.
- Maui DOFAW personnel participated in the Moloka'i
Earth Day Celebration by promoting wildland fire
prevention brochures and supporting the efforts of the
Maui Fire Department's prevention education efforts on
the island of Moloka'i.
- In cooperation with the Division of State Parks, the
Maui Branch DOFAW was able to provide fire prevention
material for cabin users at the Polipoli State Park.
2.
Presuppression
Mission. To improve the response
and firefighting capability of the DOFAW organization and to
integrate fire management as an integral part of natural
resource management programs.
Goals.
- Continue to improve and maintain the RAWS capability
on Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, and Hawai'i.
- Conduct basic firefighting training statewide, based
on Branch needs; collaborate with other fire agencies in
the development and use of joint training
opportunities.
- Incorporate the Geographical Information System
concept including the development of fire maps, fire
weather data, and other fire-related matters.
- Participate in the Council of Western State Fire
Managers and California-Nevada-Hawai'i Forest Fire
Council meetings as well as the Hawai'i State Fire
Council and the Hawai'i Fire Chief Association
meetings.
- Conduct in-house statewide fire management core group
meetings as needed to resolve protection issues,
consolidate training, etc.
- Continue to manage and use all Federal Excess
Personal Property (FEPP) equipment statewide in
accordance with program regulations; conduct onsite
reviews; complete physical inventory once every two
years.
- Continue to integrate fire protection with other
resource management programs, e.g .ecosystem management
concepts.
- Cooperate with the State Civil Defense, State Fire
Council, and USDA Forest Service to augment fire data
gathering and simulation, resource tracking and
assignments, supporting technologies, etc.
- Provide funding to the Honolulu Fire Department in
order to acquire firefighting equipment to augment their
rural fire protection program.
Accomplishments:
- Information gathering on Kaua'i and Maui continues.
The Maui DOFAW Branch is continuing to monitor fire
weather data in cooperation with the Hawai'i Commercial
& Sugar Company (HC&S) and the U.S. Forest
Service. Data obtained from HC&S is used to compile
NFDRS indices forthe Kula Forest Reserve.
- A series of basic and specialized training was done
statewide over the course of the year.
- An S-205 course (Fire Operations in the Urban
Interface) was held on Kaua'i in November, 1998. The
course was taught by Mr. Jack Minassian, Fire Management
Officer for the HI Volcanoes National Park. Participants
included personnel from DOFAW, Kaua'i, Maui, Hawaii, and
Honolulu Fire Departments, and the Pacific Missile Range
Facility from Barking Sands, Kaua'i.
- An advanced wildland fire investigation course was
held in March, 1999 on Maui. Personnel involved in the
training included members of the Maui Fire Department,
Maui Police Department, DOFAW, and the Division of
Conservation & Resources Enforcement (DOCARE). Mr.
Patrick Lyng, retired Region 5 Forest Service
investigator, headed the training cadre.
- A Command & General Staff workshop (I-420) was
held on Kaua'i in April, 1999. Personnel from the Kauai
Fire Department, DOFAW, Maui Fire Department, and the
Pacific Missile Range Facility were involved in the
training. Personnel from the U.S. Forest Service Region 5
conducted the workshop headed by Mr. Don Studebaker, FMO
from the Cleveland National Forest, CA.
- A dozer Wildland Fire workshop was held was held on
the island of Hawai'i, involving 60 personnel from
Federal, State, and County agencies. The workshop was
held in May, 1999. The workshop was conducted by
personnel from the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 headed by
Assistant Director Rusty Witwer from Mather, CA.
- A chainsaw class (S-212) was conducted on the island
of Hawai'i in June, 1999. This is a very popular class
among our personnel. Participants included members of
DOFAW, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and the U.S.
Army. Mr. D. Douglas Dent spearheaded the training effort
with support from Region 5.
- Maui Branch Protection Forester Glenn Shishido
conducted ICS classes for the Maui DLNR personnel.
- Fire management maps were updated and digitized over
the course of the year. This was also an opportunity to
update our mutual aid agreements with the various county
fire agencies. The digitized information was made
available to the State Civil Defense Agency as well as
the Pacific Disaster Center.
- DOFAW State Protection Forester Wayne Ching attended
the Western State Fire Managers meeting in Salt Lake
City, UT in late March 1999. Issues that affect the 17
western states as well as the western Pacific territories
were addressed at this meeting. Issue papers were written
and presented to the Council of Western State Foresters
in late May 1999. During this meeting, Ching was elected
to serve as Vice-Chair for the next two years beginning
in October 1999. The Vice-Chair will then serve the
following two years as Chair. The next meeting is
scheduled for April 9-11, 2000 at the Kaanapali Beach
Resort on Maui.
- State Protection Forester Ching also attended the
California-Nevada-Hawai'i Forest Fire Council meeting in
Sparks NV in October 1998. A presentation on Hawai'i's
fire season was done to a very receptive audience.
- The Hawai'i Fire Chiefs' Association annual meeting
was held on Kaua'i in November 1999. Three DOFAW
personnel were able to attend the meeting. A presentation
was made by State Protection Forester Ching on DOFAW's
fire program and what issues we have to face "Beyond
2000".
- The annual Fire Core Group meeting was held on
February 16-17 1999 on the island of Hawai'i. The DOFAW
Cadre spent two days reviewing the fire program which
included the budget for FY00, accomplishments, training,
and the review of cooperative partnerships with our
agency counterparts. Assistant Director Dennis Orbus was
also able to attend and he led discussions on the federal
budget.
- In-house inspections were conducted statewide on the
FEPP equipment. Screening of equipment was done
periodically at the Barbers Point DRMO on O'ahu for
excess personal property. During the fiscal year, DOFAW
acquired five - 1/1/4 ton cargo trucks, two 5-ton cargo
trucks, 20 flight helmets, one 5-ton diesel engine, one
Model 42, and 3 slip-on units for an acquisition value of
$329,958.
- DOFAW staff reviewed over 100 environmental
assessments, EISs, conservation district use applications
and film permits. Comments and recommendations were made
to these reviews to ensure fire issues were identified
and resolved before approval is given.
- DOFAW participated in the annual Makani Pahili
(Hurricane) exercise which is conducted by the State
Civil Defense. Various local, county, state, and federal
agencies are involved in this important exercise. This
exercise is a measuring stick on where we stand in
disaster preparedness.Throughout the year, the Region 5
Fire & Aviation Management office is kept abreast of
the DOFAW fire program through electronic mail, reports,
and other means of telecommunication. Fire data is
gathered and sent to the Region office for use in the
national reporting system.
- The City and County of Honolulu Fire Department was
the recipient of the Volunteer Fire Assistance grant this
year. Personal protective gear and hoses & fittings
were purchased. [see Section II - VFA in this
report]
Other
Accomplishments:
- DOFAW personnel attended the Drought Mitigation
Seminar in Hilo in May 1999. Several presentations were
made by DOFAW.
- DOFAW personnel attended the Pacific Disaster
Center's Emergency Managers Users' Conference and
provided input for the management of DOFAW's wildland
fire program.
- Fire planning was completed for the Kanaio and
Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserves on Maui.
- As a result of the Advance Wildland Fire
Investigation course taught in March 1999, Maui DOCARE
personnel conducted a wildland fire investigation in May
1999 on the Makiwa Gulch Fire. The ignition source was
found. The case is now headed for the State Attorney
General's office for prosecution. Three investigations
were also initiated on Kauai and one on the Kawela Flats
fire on Moloka'i in August 1998.
- DOFAW received five Model 5 engines from the
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CDF). These are the first ever true engines that DOFAW
has acquired. Mr. Jay MacDonald held a one-week training
class statewide on the maintenance and operation of these
engines in December 1998.
3.
Suppression
Mission. To suppress wildfires in
a safe manner and at a minimum cost consistent with land and
resource management objectives and fire management
direction.
Goals.
- continue to gather statewide fire data and add to the
existing database for data analysis and reporting fire
history for each Branch.
- Respond to each wildfire incident in a timely manner
with appropriate forces as mandated by the provisions of
the Land Fire Protection Law (Chapter 185, Hawai'i
Revised Statutes).
Accomplishments:
- During FY99, 160 fires were reported statewide
totaling 21,948 acres. Nineteen fires were reported on
Kaua'i, 15 on O'ahu, 63 on Maui, and 63 on Hawai'i.
Natural resource damage was estimated at $49.1
million.
- The State of Hawai'i continued to have a very busy
fire season this fiscal year. DOFAW was involved in
several large fires during the course of the fiscal year.
One was the 12,500-acre fire on Molokai and the other was
the 3,200-acre fire on Maui. In late August 1998, DOFAW
responded to a fire that threatened the community of
Kaunakakai, Moloka'i. State and county officials were
able to get this particular fire qualified under the FEMA
Fire Suppression Assistance program. The fire ended up
costing DOFAW over $250,000 to suppress. The fire also
caused over $43 million in resource damage.
- In October 1998 a fire broke out on Maui that closed
the Honoapiilani Highway for four hours, blocking major
traffic between Central and West Maui. The fire destroyed
3,200 acres.
II. Volunteer
Fire Assistance (VFA)
A. Goal. To organize, train, and
equip the Honolulu Fire Department firefighting force to
efficiently and effectively prevent, control, and suppress
fires in remote areas.
B. Activities.
The Honolulu Fire Department used the VFA grant to
acquire personal protective gear as well as hoses and
fittings for their
various engines throughout the island of O'ahu.
Annual Report Page
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