Homestead communities, leader recognized for wildfire mitigation efforts

When an illegal fireworks incident set a hillside in Papakōlea between Kapahu and Laukea Street ablaze on New Year’s Eve in 2023, the need for change sparked within Noel Shaw.

“Because we had Lahaina, we were even more sensitive to the realities of what a fire like what happened on New Year’s could have resulted in for our community,” said Shaw, a Kalāwahine homesteader and Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise member. “We saw all the loss in Lahaina, and we saw the need after, and that’s why it was even more urgent.”

Shaw’s search for a solution led her to the Firewise USA program.

On Feb. 27, 2025, homestead leaders from across the state participated in the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit alongside Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff.

Hosted by the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit was designed to unite leaders and collaborators statewide. The event’s discussions, panels and workshops were centered on the latest wildfire research and innovative strategies for wildfire preparedness, mitigation and management in Hawaiʻi.

“The goal is to take a forward-looking and united approach to wildfire readiness and resilience,” said Nani Barretto, co-executive director of Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO). “As HWMO often says, we all have a role to play, and this event was created for us to learn and grow together.”

Two homestead communities were recognized Thursday for their efforts, commitment and contributions to the Firewise program.

Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise, a group comprising homesteaders from the Papakōlea, Kewalo and Kalāwahine homesteads on Oʻahu, were recipients of the Firestarter Award. This award recognized the group’s accelerated efforts to assemble a Firewise team. Kahikinui’s Firewise team received the Trailblazer Award for its hazardous waste removal project on Maui.

Mike Mundon, a Puʻukapu lessee and HWMO team member, was the recipient of the Spirit Award.

“We deeply value our partnership with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and commend their proactive efforts to ensure the safety of their communities,” Barretto said.

Homesteaders and DHHL staff were among the panel discussions and presented the measures being implemented at both the community and department level. Some initiatives include green-waste cleanups, community organizing and individual home assessments.

Of the more than 50 homesteads across the pae ʻāina (islands), only four are nationally recognized as Firewise:

• Kailapa, Hawaiʻi Island: Established 2016
• Kahikinui, Maui: Established 2016
• Waiohuli, Maui: Established 2016
• Puʻukapu, Hawaiʻi Island: Established 2018

Three homesteads are currently undergoing the Firewise recognition process: Leialiʻi and Paukukalo on Maui, and Papakōlea. 

“The success of the Firewise program lies in its ability to empower our communities,” said DHHL Director Kali Watson. “It gives our homesteads, and its leaders, the tools, strategies and support they need to mitigate wildfire risks in their own backyard. Through collaborative efforts with HWMO, the department aims to ensure every homestead is well-prepared against the threat of wildfires.”

Shaw hopes continued community engagement ignites a call for action.

“Being fire prepared and stewarding our ‘āina collectively is the dream,” Shaw said. “I think it will bring generations back to what they knew and into what they should be knowing for the future”.

In Hawai’i, 30 communities have currently joined the nationwide network of more than 1,500 recognized Firewise USA sites, taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire, according to the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. To learn more or start the process, email firewise@hawaiiwildfire.org.