Com_.No. 2021-09 Zendo Kern Letter Regarding Mana Road Fire

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JaSY OF pqw Kazuo S. K. L. Todd Mitchell D. Roth moo. 4, SIC Fire Chief Lee E. LordEric H. Moller Nlnnnging Director •+�qr ,�—�oP� Deputy Fire Chief F OF NP Couutp of �akoai`i HAWAII FIRE DEPARTMENT 25 Aupuni Street•Suite 2501•Hilo,Hawaii 96720 (808)932-2900•Fax(808)932-2928 October 20,2021 Mr.Zendo Kern,Planning Director County of Hawaii Planning Department 101 Pauahi St.,Ste.3 Hilo,Hawaii 96720 Dear Mr.Kern, RE: South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee Request for Information on Mand Road Fire Emergency Evacuations Fire Department accounting of event:On August 1St during the morning hours,the Fire Department in concert with Civil Defense in the Emergency Operation Center set down watch out triggers based on expected wind and fire conditions: • Fire crossing highway 190(priority trigger) • High winds 30+MPH(contributing trigger) • Uncontrolled fire head,or multiple fingers/spot fires(contributing trigger) • Excessive airborne embers(contributing trigger) Primary of which was the fire crossing Hwy. 190,with no containment or control,and the pathway heading towards Waikoloa. Should the triggers occur,the evacuation would of Waikoloa be considered based on prevailing conditions and expected fire behavior.At 0830 hours,the Department of Public Works(DPW)was directed to open the secondary egress road for possible evacuation should fire conditions warrant it.At 1000 hours,DPW reported back that the road had been opened.At 1155 hours,reports from the field had verified that multiple triggers for evacuation had been activated.At 1200 hours,I(Fire Chief Kazuo Todd)made the judgment call to evacuate Waikoloa Community and relayed this information to Mayor Mitch Roth,which was then disseminated out to the public through television,radio,and other forms of media. The Fire Department has no other information regarding the evacuation.While it is the responsibility for the Fire Department to make the call on when an evacuation due to fire is issued,we do not handle the logistics or the actual evacuations,and cannot speak to the process,results,or issues.After the decision to evacuate Waikoloa was initiated,the Fire Department returned to focusing on fire suppression and containment. Should you have any questions or concerns,please let us know. Respectfully Submitte 6�S�K.L.TODD Fire Chief KT:lk w,y Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.