The Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit, hosted by the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, brought together community leaders and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff to discuss wildfire mitigation. The event focused on wildfire preparedness, management, and research. Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise received the Firestarter Award for organizing a response team after an illegal fireworks incident on New Year's Eve in 2023. Homesteader Noel Shaw said, "Because we had Lahaina, we were even more sensitive to the realities of what a fire like what happened on New Year’s could have resulted in for our community," according to the Office of the Governor.
Kahikinui’s Firewise team won the Trailblazer Award for removing hazardous waste on Maui. Homesteaders and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff took part in panel discussions, sharing efforts like green-waste cleanups and home assessments. Mike Mundon, a Puʻukapu lessee and Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organizatio team member, received the Spirit Award for his dedication. Nani Barretto, co-executive director of Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organizatio, said, "We deeply value our partnership with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and commend their proactive efforts to ensure the safety of their communities," as reported by the Office of the Governor.
Four homesteads in Hawaiʻi have received national recognition as Firewise communities, with three more in the process. The Firewise program, led by Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in partnership with Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organizatio, aims to equip homesteads with wildfire prevention strategies. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson stated, “The success of the Firewise program lies in its ability to empower our communities. It gives our homesteads, and its leaders, the tools, strategies and support they need to mitigate wildfire risks in their own backyard.” Shaw emphasized the importance of preparedness, saying, “Being fire prepared and stewarding our ‘āina collectively is the dream,” and “I think it will bring generations back to what they knew and into what they should be knowing for the future.” The initiative focuses on community involvement to strengthen wildfire resilience in Hawaiʻi, as stated by the Office of the Governor.
