County creates new wildfire working group

Hawaii County has established a multiagency working group to develop strategies and responses to wildfires and other threats around the island.

The Hawaii Fire and Emergency Response Collaborative will bring together representatives of several county, state and federal agencies, organizations including the American Red Cross and Hawaii Wildfire Management, and community stakeholders to develop “a comprehensive plan” to prevent a disaster like the Lahaina fire from taking place on the Big Island.

According to a press release from the office of Mayor Mitch Roth, the group’s primary goals are to develop a comprehensive wildfire prevention and response strategy, to enhance coordination among agencies and first responders, to strengthen public education on fire and emergency preparedness, to identify funding opportunities for wildfire mitigation and other recovery efforts, and to utilize local resources to bolster disaster resilience.

“The recent events on Hawaii Island and Maui serve as a stark reminder of our susceptibility to wildfires due to an ever-changing climate,” Roth said in a statement. “It is important for us as leaders to come together to collaborate on ways for us to improve our protocols and procedures, ensuring that we are adapting our response abilities to meet the safety needs of our various communities.

“We cannot do this alone, and we are honored to have willing partners at every level who see the need and are willing to work together for our island and its residents.”

Meetings of the group are expected to begin in October.

Because public input will be a critical component of the group’s work, a notice will be sent in advance of public meetings to ensure sufficient time for people to plan to attend, according to the press release.