Big Island Now poll no. 38: How can State Legislature protect Hawai‘i Island from future wildfires

The conversation of wildfire prevention is now being discussed by lawmakers.

Not long after the devastating fires in Maui where the historic seaside town of Lāhainā was decimated, leaving at least 100 people dead, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature quickly put together a Wildfire Prevention Working Group.

On Nov. 1, the Wildfire Prevention Working Group published a draft report. On Nov. 17, it heard public testimony.

The draft report indicates there is an average of nearly 1,000 fires a year on the Hawaiian Islands, burning an average of 20,000 acres statewide since 2006. In some years, 45,000 acres have burned. And, all counties have been experiencing large fires of 1,000 plus acres multiple times each year.

In a previous Big Island Now poll we asked what was the best way to prevent wildfires on Hawai‘i Island. Most voters agreed that it would take multiple approaches to prevent the island going up in flames.

In light of this working group, we had another question.