Wildfire Risk Reduction and Mitigation
High
Planning
Low
Project Description and Purpose
This project includes several multidisciplinary actions to reduce and mitigate wildfire risk for the town and increase community resilience and preparedness for future fires, as mentioned in the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan:
- Work across County, State, federal, community, and private groups to establish a green break and/or fire break at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) around Lahaina town
- Update and implement actions in the current West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
- Update and implement the Upcountry Maui CWPP and South Maui CWPP
- Update the West Maui CWPP
Wildfire likelihood in Maui County
Interdependencies, Roadblocks and Next Steps
Challenges including funding, cross-coordination among agencies to establish a green break/fire break and long-term maintenance of the green break/fire break, political and community buy-in for new policies, and the identification of leadership for project implementation.
Project Details
Cost Estimate
$TBD
Potential Funding Sources
• U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service Community Wildfire Defense Grant
• Philanthropic
• County, State and Federal Partners
Existing Funding Sources
HWMO received Community Wildfire Defense Grant $130,309 to update the Upcountry CWPP
Project Lead
County Department of Fire and Public Safety
State Fire Marshal
Project Partners
Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency
Maui Emergency Management Agency
Various Community Conservation and ‘Āina Organizations
Watershed Partnership groups
Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization
Large Landowners
State Department of Transportation
County Department of Public Works
County Department of Agriculture
State Department of Land and Natural Resources
State Department of Health, Surface Water Protection Branch