BEWARE! IT'S BRUSH FIRE SEASON

STAR-BULLETIN / 2001 Honolulu Fire Department firefighters worked to control a brush fire Nov. 5 in a Waipio gulch alongside the H-2 freeway, about a half-mile south of the Ka Uka Boulevard overpass.

Nature conspires to prime
isles for a burning season

Winter rains yield tall grasses that now
bake in the sun, ready to ignite at any time

---

By Pat Gee
pgee@starbulletin.com

It's the season firefighters dread the most: summer, when brush fires run rampant, and this year may be worse than the last few.

After a three-year drought, the winter rain returned with force, helping the brush grow higher and thicker. As temperatures climb into the 80s, the brush is turning dry and brown, providing ideal grounds for more brush fires, said fire Capt. Richard Soo.

"There's more fuel for the fires this year," Soo said.

The summer months also bring out other contributing factors -- vacationing children playing with matches, and smoking drivers tossing cigarettes and matches out their vehicle windows, Soo said.

From June to September of last year, there were 273 brush fires on Oahu, and firefighters are gearing up for an increase this year.

The Fire Department is keeping close watch on the Leeward side of the island, particularly Nanakuli, Waianae and Makakilo, as well as the following areas: Mililani, Wahiawa, Waialua Town, Kahuku, Waimanalo, Makapuu and brush land near Sandy Beach.

The areas on Oahu most vulnerable to brush fires are vast parcels that used to be pineapple or sugar fields left uncultivated, Soo said.

"But you never can tell because twice last year we had fires on Waahila Ridge above St. Louis Heights, and one in Nuuanu near the Oahu Country Club," he said.

The Honolulu Fire Department is up to snuff in manpower and equipment to combat the upcoming brush fire season, Soo said. And a well-informed public taking precautions is always an asset to battling brush fires.

Soo is urging neighbors to look out for one another in case of an emergency.

"We're known as the Aloha State, where everyone takes care of each other, so we're asking people to keep an eye" out for children or senior neighbors left home alone.

They are "people easily forgotten," and neighbors should make sure they are safe, Soo said.

When a brush fire is threatening your area, listen to television or radio reports and evacuation information, Soo said. Follow the Oahu Civil Defense Agency instructions, and if you are advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

---

PUTTING OUT FIRE HAZARDS

Here are some precautions offered by the Honolulu Fire Department to help make it a safe summer:

Report hazardous conditions:
>> Unauthorized dumping of rubbish and vegetation.
>> Vegetation that is overgrown, tall and dry.
>> Branches close to overhead utility wires.
>> Campfires left smoldering.

Protect your home:
>> Ensure that firefighting equipment can get to your home. The driveway entrance should be clearly marked and the address displayed for easy identification.
>> Clean the roof and gutters regularly.
>> Prevent dry plants and combustible materials from accumulating under buildings (beneath porches, decks and floor areas) and roofs (in attics via windows and ventilation holes) by enclosing openings with half-inch mesh screen.
>> Install a smoke detector on each level of your home and in every sleeping area. Test detectors monthly, and change the batteries once a year.
>> Keep a ladder that will reach the roof, and have household items available that can be used as fire tools, such as buckets and shovels.

Create a fire safety zone around your home:
>> Mow the grass regularly.
>> Rake and clear combustible vegetation, such as leaves, dead limbs and twigs.
>> Remove leaves and rubbish from under structures.
>> Remove dead branches that extend over the roof.
>> Remove vines from the walls of buildings.
>> Clear an area around propane tanks and the barbecue.
>> Regularly dispose of newspapers and rubbish.
>> Store gasoline, oily rags and other flammable materials in approved safety cans in a safe location away from the base of buildings.
>> Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach all structures on the property.

Prepare your family members for a wildfire emergency:
>> Discuss the types of disasters that could occur and how to prepare and respond to each type of disaster, including instructions by the OCDA and emergency response agencies.
>> Ensure that everyone knows how to call 911.
>> Show responsible family members how and when to shut off the water, gas and electricity at main switches.
>> Plan several escape routes away from your home by car and foot.
>> Pick two meeting places in the event family members are separated, a place that is a safe distance from your home, and a place outside your neighborhood in case you are not able to return home.
>> Make plans to take care of your children or children in the neighborhood who may be left on their own.
>> Make a list of items to bring if advised to evacuate.
>> Practice what you have discussed.
>> Talk to your neighbors about brush fire safety. Be aware of neighbors who have special needs, such as seniors, the disabled and non-English speaking persons.

Important phone numbers:
831-7765: For information regarding home fire hazards.
422-0827: For cardiopulmonary resuscitation information.