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Morikawa, Lydia M <br />From: <br />MyersTremblay, Dietra <br />Sent: <br />Friday, April 21, 201710:37 AM <br />To: <br />Morikawa, Lydia M <br />Cc: <br />Sprecher, Irene M; Hauff, Robert D; Cogswell, James <br />M <br />Subject: <br />DOFAW (Wildfire) Comments on the Hamakua Community Development !pn <br />Hi Lydia, <br />_. <br />Per our discussion today, you will submit my comments below through Land Division. <br />C') ��' 7 . - C7 f ►' <br />submitting comments. She <br />may either submit <br />Irene Spmdher is als�lann n <br />comments below. <br />comments to you or submit them directly <br />to Hain- RoOty. hank P� <br />;.,.__ <br />Pursuant to the Land Fire Protection Law, Chapter 185, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Department of Land and Natural <br />Resources is mandated to take measures for the prevention, control and extinguishment of wildland fires on Division of <br />Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) managed lands and is also required to cooperate with established fire control agencies of <br />the counties and the federal government in developing plans and programs and mutual aid agreements for assistance <br />for the prevention, control, and extinguishment of wildland fires on lands not managed by DOFAW. <br />The Hamakua Planning Area includes several Communities at Risk (CAR) from Wildfires (see CAR map: <br />htt www.hawaiiwildfire ore/fire-resource library )loe/communities at risk state map), including at least one CAR <br />that is High Risk. Additionally, wildfire hazard assessments for this area ranks some communities in this area as High or <br />Extreme Hazard dependent on the rating element used (see community hazard assessments for County of Hawaii - <br />North: <br />https://staticl sguarespace.com/static15254fbe2e4b04bbc53b57821/t/54ff73dee4b07ef14e0103c811426027486997/C <br />ounty+of+Hawaii+%28North%29+Community+Hazard+Assessment+Maps compressed pdf). <br />Although this plan mentions that natural disasters, include wildfires are a consistent threat, it fails to specify wildfire risk <br />reduction approaches such as: <br />I Voluntary or nonregulatory mitigation measures and tools, including establishing Community Wildfire <br />Protection Plans (CWPPs) for this area and working towards gaining Firewise recognition for communities in this <br />area. In order for communities to be eligible for funds available through the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) <br />Grant Program, the area must have an approved CWPP. U.S. Forest Service funds to reduce communities' risk <br />from wildland fire within the WUI are available through the WUI Grant Program and are awarded annually <br />through a competitive process with emphasis on: 1) Hazardous fuel reduction in the WUI; 2) Information and <br />education; and 3) Planning. <br />2) Involuntary or regulatory mitigation measures, including land use laws, subdivision design regulations, home <br />ignition zone ordinances, and WUI Fire codes. These planning and regulatory tools can be used to provide <br />better wildfire protection for new residential development. <br />Land use planners and policymakers as well as community members who determine where and how growth occurs play <br />an important role in safeguarding Hawaii's emerging communities from wildfires. Although this plan addresses land use <br />and community infrastructure goals by concentrating future developments in the existing towns, villages, and <br />subdivisions, it fails to specify that reducing urban sprawl can curb future growth from occurring in areas that are at <br />higher -risk of wildfires. Risk reduction for new communities can be achieved by forming a wildfire planning policy that <br />aligns land use and planning decisions with safe growth. However, the State of Hawaii does not have a wildfire planning <br />