Com_.No. 2021-04 Draft Letter to Director - Mana Rd. Fire

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Communication No. 2021-04 Mitchell D.Roth 40JN<VfOF h,�,, Zendo Kern �� Mayor ��d�',�, Director Lee E.Lord Jeffrey W. Darrow Managing Director fu_ Deputy Director �T!OF•M,,i� West Hawai'i Office East Hawai'i Office 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy • 101 Pauahi Street,Suite 3 Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740 County of Hawai 1 Hilo,Hawaii 96720 Phone(808)323-4770 Phone(808)961-8288 Fax(808)327-3563 PLANNING DEPARTMENT Fax(808)961-8742 SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE September 13, 2021 Zendo Kern, Director County of Hawai'i Planning Department 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Director Kern: SUBJECT: Request for Information on Mana Road Fire Emergency Evacuations On behalf of South Kohala communities, we are requesting information on the emergency evacuations of Pu'ukapu Hawaiian Homesteads, Waiki'i Ranch, and Waikoloa Village in late July/early August 2021 due to the Mana Road fire. We have received general information but seek specific details and expertise from the County as outlined below. We ask that this request be forwarded to Mayor Roth and the following County departments: Civil Defense; Fire; Police; and the Department of Public Works. Background information: A fire in South Kohala started on the morning of July 30, 2021, reportedly due to human error on Parker Ranch properties. High, blustery winds quickly moved the wildfire primarily south and west, threatening Pu'ukapu Hawaiian Homesteads and Waiki'i Ranch homes forcing evacuations of these sparsely populated areas. By Sunday, August 1, 2021, the fire spread and crossed Hwy. 19 to the point that it endangered Waikoloa, a village with 6,500 residents. Mayor Roth promptly issued the first-ever evacuation order for Waikoloa Village at 12:15 P.M. In response, the intersection of Waikoloa Road and Paniolo Avenue was blocked off by Hawai'i County Police and traffic was directed out of the Village. Initially, people left via the one west bound lane of Waikoloa Road. Also, and for the first time, the fire emergency road off Hulu Street was opened to allow west bound traffic out of the Village to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. This emergency exit gravel road was built by the County in 2006, in large part, as a response to the fire that threatened Waikoloa Village in August 2005. Many current Villagers are unaware of its location or how drivable this single lane www.planning.hawaiicounty.i,4ov Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning�Lhawaiicounty.gov