Firefighter Kalani Telles; Denise Laitinen, Firewise Communities Hawai'i coordinator; and Prevention Captain Daryl Date, helping to create a Firewise community at the 2011 Kaua'i County Farm Bureau Fair. Photo by Denise Laitinen.
By Staff Reports
(Kauai)– In light of last week’s wildfire that scorched over 3,000 acres on the Westside, fire officials are urging residents to practice fire safety.
“Our lush, green landscape on Kaua’i can become dry and hot during the summer months, acting as fuel for brush fires,”says Captain of the Fire Prevention Bureau Daryl Date. With a light breeze, a small spot fire can easily spread over a wide area in very little time.
“We are urging the public to practice fire safety and help us to prevent wildfires,” added Captain Date.
Firefighters just ended the latest wildfire in Kokee. It was the third fire to occur in the area since May and took six days to overcome.
“This was the largest fire we have had on Kaua’i to date and controlling it was a challenge,” stated Kaua’i Fire Chief Robert Westerman. “It took the unified effort of over 100 personnel from many agencies, from both the public and private sector, and I’d like to extend my deepest appreciation to those who worked tirelessly to control the fire and restore our power and water sources to the surrounding community.”
Personnel from both the Kaua’i Fire Department and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are teaming up with Firewise Communities Hawai’i at this weekend:s Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair. Sparky and his assistants have a booth at the Exhibit Tent to inform the public about the free and easy steps they can take to reduce the risk of fires in and around their home.
Some of those tips include:
- Create a defensible space around your home to protect it from a spreading fire.
- Prune shrubs and trees so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet off the ground, to prevent fire from traveling from ground to tree tops.
- Remove dead leaves and plant material from around your home.
- Make sure plants closest to the house are low to the ground.
Firewise Communities is a national program that works with fire fighting agencies and community members to help protect the public against wildfire.
For more information on how you can become Firewise, visit the fire prevention booth at the Farm Fair, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.firewise.org/“www.firewise.org, or call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 241-4985