As preparations continue for lava possibly inundating Pahoa, some area residents are bristling about a plan to cut down three trees near the Pahoa Senior Center to make room for fire trucks.
As preparations continue for lava possibly inundating Pahoa, some area residents are bristling about a plan to cut down three trees near the Pahoa Senior Center to make room for fire trucks.
Fire department officials say the move is necessary so they can maintain a presence in lower Puna if the lava flow crosses Highway 130, cutting off access to the region.
About 20 residents gathered Monday morning around the trees, located between the senior center and the Pahoa Community Center. They held signs and blocked contractors with Arborist Services LLC from cutting the trees down.
Shortly after arriving and finding the protesters there, the workers packed up their chainsaws and left, according to Toby Hazel, who alerted several of her friends about the plans to cut down the trees.
“It’s over the line, at this point, to cut down the trees. I don’t know that I totally understand the reason for it,” she said.
The fire department asked Parks and Recreation to cut down the trees and erect a chainlink fence around the parking area to protect two fire trucks, an ambulance and a tanker truck, explained Deputy Fire Chief Renwick Victorino.
“We need to make sure those apparatuses don’t get damaged. We can’t park the apparatuses in the bay because we need to install an exhaust system before we’re allowed to do so, and with the lava about to inundate Highway 130, that won’t give us enough time. It’s required for the safety of the firefighters,” he said.
The possibility of falling branches damaging the equipment also is a concern, as is vandalism and/or theft. The root systems of the trees also necessitates their removal, in order to place the fencing in the ground, he said.
“If we don’t have the apparatus to respond, that could be a problem,” he said.
Hazel said she was glad to see the contractor back down Monday, and she plans to organize a petition to save the trees. She also hopes to bring the subject up at Thursday afternoon’s lava meeting at Pahoa High School.
“I want them to relax. I want them to compromise. We asked them (the fire department) to help us (concerning the lava), not invade our town and change our lives. … Do we let Pele take everything, or do we let the fire chief? What are his real needs to protect us?” she said.
Pahoa resident Gred Rudd said he couldn’t understand why cutting down the trees is necessary when there is plenty of fenced-in parking space around the Pahoa Community Pool.
“Why do they want to cut down these beautiful monkey pod trees? … There’s another area not that far away. It just doesn’t sound reasonable to me. For the amount of money they’re spending to cut these trees down and put up a fence, they could have a guard or cameras there,” he said.
The deputy fire chief said he understands the community’s reservations, but public safety outweighs concern about the trees.
“Of course, we’re always sensitive to the community’s concerns,” Victorino said. “We’ve got to work together. We can compromise. But our safety, and our citizens’ safety, is the ultimate concern. … The trees are important, but our safety comes first.”
Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma said Monday that while the contractor was turned away by the protestors, the plan to remove the trees remains in place.
“We’re going to replace those trees. We’re not removing them completely. We’ve talked to Rene Siracusa with Malama O Puna, and we’re going to work with her to replace them with native trees,” he said. “We’re going to go ahead and talk to the protestors about our plans.”
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.