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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-08-08 Mayor's Emergency Proclamation and mandatory evacuation order for red flag severe weather I ° I Mitchell D.Roth v�tVN®F k Elizabeth A. Strance G Mayor 4°°w ' Corporation Counsel t *® a J S.Yoshimoto tf•:Nw MOW�' Assistant Corporation its°OF°N � Counsel COUNTY OF HAWAII OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL 101 Aupuni Street,Suite 325 Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • Phone(808)961-8251 Fax(808)961-8622 TRANSMITTAL _:} August 8, 2023 TO: Jon Henricks, County Clerk Office of the County Clerk 3 FROM: Cody Frenz, Deputy Corporation Counsel Office of the Corporation Counsel RE: 08-08-23 Red Flag Severe Weather Emergency Proclamation& Mandatory Evacuation Order COPIES/ITEMS DATE DESCRIPTION Original 08-08-23 Mayor's Red Flag Severe Weather Emergency Proclamation& Mandatory Evacuation Order TRANSMITTED FOR: ❑Your information and filing ❑ Your approval ❑ Your signature and return ❑ Your review and comments ❑ Your signature and forwarding ® See remarks below as noted below ❑ Filing and return (envelope enclosed) ❑ Per your request REMARKS: Enclosed is the original Emergency Proclamation for your filing as the Custodian of Records. Please contact me if you have any questions Thank you Enclosure Received by: pal '`N t (Print Name) 1k6J (Date) Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer NtY°OP kth Lee E.Lord Managing Director Mitchell D.Roth Mayor Robert H.Command tJ,rF°8F rir�*`` Deputy Managing Director oaa1`i Of ire of fhr avar 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 Hilo,Hawaii 96720 . (808)961-8211 Fax(808)961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740 (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 RED FLAG SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION AND MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER WHEREAS, Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended, provides for the establishment of County organizations for disaster relief with a director in charge of each political subdivision; and WHEREAS, Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes and Chapter 7, Articles 1 and 2 of the Hawaii County Code, establishes a Civil Defense Agency within the County of Hawaii and prescribes its powers, duties, and responsibilities, and Section 13-23 of the Hawaii County Charter empowers the Mayor of the County to declare emergencies; and WHEREAS, on August 8, 2023, at 3:17AM the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for all Leeward portions of the State of Hawai`ij including South Kona, Kohala, and the Interior areas of the Island of Hawaii due to strong winds and low humidity. A Red Flag Warning means very dry conditions exist and the brush fire risk for these areas are being intensified by current conditions of strong and gusty easterly winds of thirty(30)to forty-five (45)mph with gusts of approximately sixty (60) mph are being further impacted by high levels of humidity of thirty-five (35) to forty-five(45)percent. This means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring and can contribute to extreme fire behavior meaning that any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly; and WHEREAS, in the early morning hours of August 8, 2023, two separate brush fires on the Island of Hawaii,began actively burning affecting two separate Big Island communities in both North and South Kohala; and WHEREAS, at approximately 2:45AM, a brush fire in the Kohala Ranch area was reported. The Hawaii Police Department has issued a mandatory evacuation to all residents of the Kohala Ranch area(both upper and lower Kohala Ranch). The County of Hawaii has opened an evacuation shelter to the public at Hisaoka Gym located at the Kamehameha Park in Kapa`au. Additionally, the following road closures are in effect: (1) Akoni Pule Highway (Highway 270)between the six (6) and seven(7) mile markers until further notice; and (2) Kawaihae Road (Highway 19)between Kawaihae and Waimea(due to downed utility lines near the sixty-three (63)mile marker); and County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Red Flag Severe Weather Emergency Proclamation and Mandatory Evacuation Order Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, at approximately 5AM, a brush fire in the Lalamilo Farm Lots was reported. The County of Hawaii has opened a shelter for the public at the Waimea Community Center; and WHEREAS, due to the possibility of imminent disaster due to property damage and/or bodily injury to residents of Hawaii Island, and the need for government agencies and representatives from the private sector to mobilize and provide immediate services to our island residents, a Civil Defense state of emergency is authorized pursuant to Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended, and Chapter 7, Hawaii County Code; and WHEREAS, the danger of disaster is such magnitude to warrant protective action in order to provide for the health, safety, welfare and protection of the people and pursuant to Section 127A-13(b)(4), Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Mayor finds it necessary to appropriate actions to direct and control the mandatory evacuation of the civilian population. NOW, THEREFORE, I, MITCHELL D. ROTH, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, do hereby proclaim and declare that a state of emergency exists due to the threat of imminent disaster on Hawaii Island, effective August 8, 2023,E a.m., Hawaii standard time and I hereby issue an ORDER requiring the mandatory evacuation of all civilians in the Kohala Ranch community and the road closures of Akoni Pule Highway 270 between mile markers six (6) and seven (7), as well as Highway 19 in Kawaihae. This Emergency Proclamation shall be effective August 8, 2023, and shall terminate in sixty(60) days unless terminated earlier or extended by a separate proclamation, whichever shall occur first. This ORDER is effective ata.m., this Stn day of August, 2023. All persons must evacuate immediately from the mandatory evacuation area. Mitchell D. Roth Mayor County of Hawaii APPROVED AS TO FORM AN GA ITY: Dakota K. Frenz Deputy Corporation Co sel County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.