#fire suppression

Over 200 students from Lahainaluna High School on Maui are enrolled in a new emergency readiness curriculum running through this Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, organized by Hawai‘i workforce development nonprofit ClimbHI with the support of the Maui Strong Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

Last week, experts from the US Forest Service wrapped up ignition training by conducting a field exercise on former agriculture lands in south Kaua‘i. Hundreds of acres here are covered in invasive grasses, the most common fuel for wildfire in Hawai‘i. Some 25% of the land across the state is covered by these grasses, adding to the overall potential for devastating wildfires.

As Hawaiʻi grapples with a surge in wildfires threatening communities and ecosystems, bipartisan efforts are underway to introduce legislation to tackle prevention and preparedness.