Hundreds attend Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit held on Big Island

The Hawaiʻi Fire Department this week teamed up with partners from across the state at the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit, a multi-agency gathering held on Hawaiʻi Island to tackle the pressing challenges of wildfire prevention and preparedness.

Hosted by the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, with support from HFD and other agencies, the two-day event held Thursday and Friday at the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa brought together emergency responders, expert and the broader community to advance strategies for increasing wildfire resilience. 

“The time is now: we finally are at this chapter where everybody is motivated, willing, enthusiastic, scared — all of the things that make us take action,” said Elizabeth Pickett, co-executive director of Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, on Friday.

The sold-out summit included more than 300 registered participants. Attendees included community members, and representatives from fire departments, firewise teams, the National Weather Service, utilities and other county, state and federal agencies.

“Each of us, from the planning departments’ zoning and determining evacuation routes, to our building departments deciding how we’re going to build our buildings, to our fire department, prevention bureaus and 501(c)3s, are all coming together for one purpose (…) solving this issue,” said HFD Fire Chief Kazuo Todd.

Sessions at the summit featured experts addressing topics such as community resilience; fire and emergency services; land management and wildfire resilience; advancing fire-adapted communities; and more.

For more information on the summit, visit www.hwmo.org/wildfiresummit2025.