Mālama Kula to hold 30 consecutive work days in August to commemorate one year since the Kula wildfire

To commemorate the one year mark since the Kula wildfire—and showcase how much still needs to be done to clean up from last year’s disaster—Mālama Kula, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that was formed in the wake of the Kula Fire, will be doing what they’ve been doing for 12 straight months—holding 30 consecutive volunteer cleanup days for the entire month of August.

Since Aug. 12, 2023, Mālama Kula staff have organized over 2,500 individual volunteers who have combined to contribute over 22,000 volunteer hours toward helping Kula recover. 

Their crews have done everything from put out spot fires during the 5-month period when the fire was still burning in Kula, to remove over 20,000 pounds of burned scrap metal that was still left behind on fire-scarred properties after the US Army Corps completed debris removal. 

Their crews have arranged for over 600 cubic yards of invasive green waste to be hauled from fire affected properties, and generated over 750 cubic yards of wood chips from trees that were toppled in the storm. Those chips have helped to stabilize soil on fire affected properties, and mitigate landslide and mudslide potential, all while reducing tinder dry fuels that could burn in a future fire. 

With the help of dedicated volunteers, they’ve been able to plant over 2,000 native plant species to help roots take hold in burned soil, have distributed over 1,000 bags of fresh produce and hot meals, and have also installed Kula’s first AI enabled fire detection cameras that watch over Kula and the entire Central Valley 24 hours per day.

Still, despite the progress, enormous amounts of work remain toward helping residents who saw their properties go up in smoke nearly a year ago. 

“There’s a misconception,” says Kyle Ellison, Executive Director for Mālama Kula, who along with his family of three young children was displaced for over 5 months, “that Kula is clean; Kula is done. We still have so far to go.”  

“There are areas,” he continues, “that still look like Aug. 9, the morning after the fire. Piles of ash, burned metal, downed trees, and areas that still need cleaning and clearing before rebuilding and recovery can take place .

Volunteer positions are open to anyone who’s willing to come up and help. School groups, church groups, corporate groups, non profit groups, and individual residents—they all add up to contribute towards helping our community recover and heal.

Any interested volunteers can sign up online at malamakula.org, email malamakula@gmail.com, message on Instagram @malamakula, or text 808-264-3005 for more info on how to sign up.