{"id":587714,"date":"2023-08-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-19T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/devastating-wildfires-caught-hawaii-underprepared-for-preventable-disaster\/"},"modified":"2023-08-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-19T21:00:00","slug":"devastating-wildfires-caught-hawaii-underprepared-for-preventable-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/devastating-wildfires-caught-hawaii-underprepared-for-preventable-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"#Devastating wildfires caught Hawaii underprepared for \u2018preventable disaster\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/search-and-rescue_lahaina_hawaii_081723getty_maui.jpg?w=900\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>While residents of Hawaii are well-acquainted with fleeing from tsunami waves, hurricane winds and volcanic ash, much of western Maui was caught off guard last week when\u00a0a\u00a0string of fatal fires tore through the island\u2019s flammable foothills.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of the devastating blaze, wildfire experts are calling for the state and its denizens to take steps to better protect against similar disasters in the future.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr1_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cOver the last few years, the wildfire risk there has increased more quickly than then our ability to raise awareness throughout the population,\u201d wildland fire consultant Pat Durland, who is also a board member Hawai\u02bbi Wildfire Management Organization, told The Hill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the few good things that comes out of this, of course, is that maybe that will encourage folks to take action and realize that they have control,\u201d Durland said.<\/p>\n<p>The Maui wildfires are the deadliest to hit the country in more than century, and have wreaked widespread destruction on the island.<\/p>\n<p>The Olinda, Kula, Lahaina and Pulehu\/Kihei fires, all first reported on Aug. 8, were linked to\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/%2Fcountyofmaui%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02Lumo5Jnpp6kuUrE1K5GWcPDb81bWnb7UkgTvayR3iW8BTzGQ6wgd16pizw4aXpvwl\">at least 111 confirmed fatalities<\/a>\u00a0as of Thursday night, according to Maui County. As the blaze jumped from dry grasses to urban areas, much of the historic Lahaina was also destroyed.\u00a0Officials warned that only 58 percent of the affected areas had been searched for missing individuals at that time.<\/p>\n<p>But prior to the disaster\u2019s outbreak, wildfire wasn\u2019t considered\u00a0the biggest threat\u00a0to the state.<\/p>\n<p>Far from Hawaii\u2019s highest priority,\u00a0it\u00a0ranked tenth among statewide hazards in terms of vulnerability and risk in an\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dod.hawaii.gov\/hiema\/files\/2022\/03\/Hawaii-State-CEMP-FEB-2022.pdf\">emergency management plan<\/a>\u00a0published by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency in February 2022.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr2_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Above wildfire on the list were tsunami, hurricane, volcanic smog and lava, climate change and sea level rise, drought, earthquake, flood, high wind storms and landslides and rockfalls.<\/p>\n<p>The emergency management assessment deemed people to be at low risk of wildfire hazard, while property, the environment and emergency management operations were at medium risk.<\/p>\n<p>People, property, the environment and emergency management were all considered to be at a medium level of vulnerability.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr3_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Maui Emergency Management Agency administrator Herman Andaya,\u00a0who\u00a0resigned from his position\u00a0on Thursday\u00a0amid escalating criticism about his failure to activate the warning sirens as the blaze barreled into Maui, defended his decision at a press conference a day earlier, saying the sirens were primarily used during tsunamis. He said officials feared residents would react to the warning in a manner more suited to that kind of disaster, and put themselves in more danger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHad we sounded the siren that night, we were afraid people have gone mauka,\u201d the former administrator said, using a Hawaiian word for \u201ctoward the mountains\u201d or upland.<\/p>\n<p>Evaluating\u00a0the\u00a0spectrum of possible climate-related disasters\u00a0listed in the 2022 emergency management plan,\u00a0Durland characterized wildfires as unique among the other events, as they are chemical reactions that can be controlled.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr4_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe can\u2019t change the path of a tornado, but we can manage the fuels \u2026 and change the path of a wildfire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was not Mother Nature. This was human nature,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>A 2021\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dod.hawaii.gov\/hiema\/files\/2023\/01\/21-1227-Threat-and-Hazard-Identification-and-Risk-Assessment-1.pdf\">threat and hazard assessment<\/a>, also\u00a0from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency,\u00a0identified wildfire as a secondary hazard \u2014\u00a0warning typhoons and hurricanes \u201cmay result in, or exacerbate, secondary hazards such as residential and wildland fires.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr5_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cDowned power lines, high winds, use of candles for emergency lighting and improper use of generators are all risk factors during a storm,\u201d the assessment stated.<\/p>\n<p>For example, strong winds in the July 2021 Hurricane Makani knocked down electricity lines, igniting and fueling three big blazes in west Maui over 2,300 acres, according to the report.<\/p>\n<p>Many experts blame a similar course of events for the past week\u2019s blazes, reasoning that\u00a0hurricane winds knocked down power lines, igniting fires that spread rampantly across dried out hillsides.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr6_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>With Western Maui\u2019s fire-prone ecology in mind, local government agencies in 2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roved a\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/15lSaG11Q5ftv1qPkY48Ue2zeu8jVeJLI\/view\">Western Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan<\/a>, written by members of the Hawai\u02bbi Wildfire Management Organization.<\/p>\n<p>The need for such a plan stemmed from the region\u2019s geography of \u201csteep slopes, rough terrain, strong trade winds, and a large percentage of highly ignitable invasive grasses,\u201d according to an accompanying\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/18EfTSYUHt4eI8BBYA6h8cy9cZSUZJffR\/view\">overview document<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis, coupled with warm weather, recurring drought conditions, and a history of human-caused fire starts puts the area at increased risk of wildfire,\u201d the overview stated.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr7_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Within the report were action items for the five years that followed, including the restoration of previously burned property and the installation of firebreaks and accompanying access roads.<\/p>\n<p>While it is unclear how many of these items came to fruition, the Hawai\u02bbi Wildfire Management Organization is now pushing for large-scale investments in measures aimed at reducing the region\u2019s vulnerability.<\/p>\n<p>An infrastructural overhaul, according to the organization, must include improved accessibility, new water infrastructure in undeveloped areas and fire-resistant building design.<\/p>\n<p>Also important are landowner programs that focus on minimizing risk to property, as well as fuels management initiatives to bolster the health and resilience of natural resources, the group stated.<\/p>\n<p>Other priorities highlighted by the organization include emergency response infrastructure, greater availability of equipment and better communication systems.<\/p>\n<p>When rebuilding efforts commence in Western Maui, Durland, the wildland fire consultant,\u00a0cautioned that such work should not be rushed, and should instead involve smart planning and incorporate sustainable materials.<\/p>\n<p>Durland,\u00a0who runs the Stone Creek Fire consultancy in Boise, Idaho, where he previously oversaw wildland fire mitigation for the National Interagency Fire Center,\u00a0pointed out that in recent drone videos of the Lahaina region, certain structures \u2014 which he deemed \u201cwinners\u201d \u2014 appear to have survived the blaze.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than dissecting why one house burned and why its residents are digging for their wedding rings, he suggested talking \u201cabout why their neighbor\u2019s house didn\u2019t burn.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Reiterating the fact that wildfire is a controllable chemical reaction, Durland urged officials to rebuild communities that are capable of withstanding ignition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can plan, design, build and maintain communities and residence that resist ignition and when a wildfire comes up to them, it\u2019s over \u2014 it stops,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Identifying places that can resist ignition is also critical to formulating evacuation plans, which fire <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a> expert Jack Minassian declared that \u201cevery family should have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe shelter in place in a golf course. Golf courses, believe it or not, are really good safety zones,\u201d said Minassian, an assistant professor at Hawaii Community College.<\/p>\n<p>Because golf courses, as well as football fields, are usually well-watered and green, they tend to be \u201cdevoid of flammable fuels,\u201d according to Minassian.<\/p>\n<p>While warning systems do play a critical role during disasters, so, too, do anticipatory steps that can be taken at a household level, according to Durland.<\/p>\n<p>Residents should be aware of the need to make decisions on their own when alert systems fail,\u00a0he\u00a0added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t depend on everything working,\u201d he said, noting that reverse 911 calls, for example, may not function. \u201cDon\u2019t be sitting around waiting for the 911 calls when you see your neighbor\u2019s house burning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Residents can also take anticipatory measures to eliminate potential fuel for fires, Durland said.<\/p>\n<p>In arid environments such as that of Western Maui, one of the most important steps homeowners can take\u00a0to mitigate fire risk\u00a0is to reduce their \u201cignition potential,\u201d according to Durland.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s those fine fuels around your house, it\u2019s litter on your roof,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>By eliminating such combustible resources, residents can increase the odds that their houses will survive a fire and also make their property safer for both themselves and for first responders, Durland explained.<\/p>\n<p>But far less important than ridding neighborhoods of ignitable materials are investments in new air tankers and helicopter fleets, Durland contended. Because such vehicles can\u2019t fly in heavy winds, they spend most of their time \u201csitting on the ground,\u201d he explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe machine is asking for more money and more funding for aircraft and firefighters,\u201d he said, noting that Mother Nature has been winning a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> against <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> for years.<\/p>\n<p>Minassian echoed these sentiments, stressing that \u201cthere are limits to what humans can do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you have those kind of winds, no matter what preparation you have, there\u2019s no way you\u2019re going to stop the fire, period,\u201d Minassian said. \u201cIn fact, even with this Lahaina fire, the only thing that stopped it was it reached the ocean \u2014 it ran out of fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramping up equipment in Hawaii could also be impractical from a logistical point of view, since engines on, say, the Big Island, can\u2019t just \u201cdrive over to help them out\u201d in Maui, he continued.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at wildfire spread as a preventable disaster, Durland criticized today\u2019s predominant policy stance, which he described as \u201clargely reactive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we really want to make a difference, we\u2019re going to have to deal with these events smarter, rather than harder,\u201d Durland said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd that means we\u2019re going to have to start before the event,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Copyright 2023 Nexstar <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a> Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/policy\/equilibrium-sustainability\/4159573-devastating-wildfires-caught-hawaii-underprepared-for-preventable-disaster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While residents of Hawaii are well-acquainted with fleeing from tsunami waves, hurricane winds and volcanic ash, much of western Maui was caught off guard last week when\u00a0a\u00a0string of fatal fires tore through the island\u2019s flammable foothills. In the wake of the devastating blaze, wildfire experts are calling for the state and its denizens to take&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":587715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/search-and-rescue_lahaina_hawaii_081723getty_maui.jpg?w=1280","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[134343,134418,134420,134345,134446],"class_list":["post-587714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-campaign","tag-congress-blog","tag-equilibrium-sustainability","tag-state-watch","tag-sunday-talk-shows"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=587714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/587715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=587714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=587714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=587714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}