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aloha and welcome to DLNR revealed
in this series we hope to share information about the department of land and natural resources
and our partners
about the work that we can to protect your aina
and our natural and cultural resources here in hawaii
we have entered hawaii's dry season
throughout today's session
we will share some footage with you about wildfire and tips you can
use to malama hawaii
and malama our aina
we have with us today wild land firefighters from the division of
forestry and wildlife
honolulu fire department
and the federal fire department
a partner to protect our natural resources and hawaii's people from wildfire
i'm michelle jones information education coordinator
with the department of land and natural resources
division of forestry and wildlife
and this is also known as dofaw
dofaw is one of twelve division
underneath the department of land and natural resources
and here today and have with me
fire management officer wanye ching and also our friend and
oahu fire and forestry program manager
ryan peralta
thanks for joining us today
so and we can get started to look introduction a little background on who
guys are and
how you got to be in the position that you are in today so
ryan tell me a little bit about yourself and were you went to school at just
how you got into this job
well ah
was born in hilo
i grew up in mililani
home in high school my mom thought it wasn't
a whole lot like in terms of
job wise ah
so she volunteered me
for the division of forestry and wildlife and spent two summers clearing trails
i was a free volunteer weed whacker kinda guy we just went in the mountains in the
weed whack for
every day for the whole summer weed whack or chainsaw
four wheel drive
outdoor mountain kind stuff we did camping
from that point on i was hooked
then became kind of something that
kinda of want to see myself doing for the rest of my life and they want to be
did not want to be behind a desk
when it came too late college trying harm
no i heard for she's a great degree to get into if you want to get into this
kind of few words
after high school to college canada
the green dispute
came back
you know the details from usa bussed tables for awhile surf dvd got that out
of my system
nine in the mail
job opportunity opened up and i've been here since
excellent world look like to have you with us in inspecting all the work that
you do it fell
when you got and forestry
did you know that you be fighting wildfires that your initials
intention
making later
yeah i i think uh...
and you that there was at the moment you know you see it
it happens and and you know there was an element but it wasn't me either
reason why i got into the field was really my love for twelve dollars
the home of the agreement was cute
cadmium itself
seeing here symphony
so
main i was hoping you could tell us a little bit about yourself as well and he
held here
career progress into
being the prime minister not pacifico kinda like
in our and um...
i grew up on molly hughes molly audited each coach and i
and when i was in a fifth grade
forgery jitendra school that it is it possible for st
and i never thought much about it after that
in high school
until it or against it would have to make a decision without being on a
the a lot of volunteers or forced and aside for she was it
and uh... so i graduated from argosy university
the school forestry
commute really been instrumental in a growing the fire program
under the division of fresh air mile by police
that's my perspective because you've been with delphi for how long now
parsons twenty seven and some thirty two years beatty and when i first started
i was a survey foresters so basically being outdoors
uh... meeting some of our forest plantations
and then if you fast-forward after nineteen ninety four
my predecessor president style as was the uh...
fire management offices at that time and he got promoted
and so i just three months stepped into the shoes in
and character profile come down
i had a great leader then
yes indeed via
as for the weekend
share with me and our audience a little bit more about how all of the division
of forestry laplace
fire program works where there's three parts in
could you share those and maybe a little information about
well i thought that the fire trying though we ask uh... three uh... uh...
points uh... the first on is prevention program and the prevention is pretty
much ground two screws
the communities talk about
off our prevention efforts a lot of it is all reach
uh... the other one is cervical pre suppression and basically what it is is
our training program
our readiness program so we not only train our personnel and fire fighting
and
do a refresher training every year
but we also uh...
radio equipment
five vehicles
uh... equipments on it so forth
then the third one three-point is suppression
so naturally getting on the ground being fired eating smoked at covered so
prevention the outreach
opry suppression the training
and organising that prevention is actually putting the fire
and that's the way i slip knot to doom issues
and he made the lead
were intimately connected with are uh... khwaja
are watersheds and eyes
obviously have gotten impacts on the water standards come with me so
banking calistoga about how
fires impact
uh... behind
we can get help
well uh... employees we have few other native forests and whatnot and
of fire is still not really apart of
thatcher processes in holy mcmillan com there are some
you know uh... ecosystems there that actually depended on fire for
regeneration and what not but in
and hallway it's it's actually quite the opposite so you have a native ecosystem
that is not adapted or or use to you know this this allen week how far is a
natural you know
and when you have a fire in the native ecosystem
you know come through to kill the native plants it'll wipe out entire areas in
the could bear and barren
and what will happen is you have all these dreams coming in
and the weeds are that a bit more aggressive fear their marcom prolific
inept reproduction standpoint
and the news cannot compete
so we've had fires immuno really pristine native forests and where there
is you know maybe nine nine percent native
and it would just run everything barren
and then
what comes back would actually rejuvenate is
eighty percent needs
and it starts that way and on
whom you just can't keep popping start to sleep you people go of of weeds and
from their kind of expands outward so suffers is devastating to to the navy
eco-system
of the water should stand point i mean that that
vegetation hinted taxes as spongy only brings in in
omg captures the watergate presents even the runoff in on the mind and what not
from going into rivers and streams
it helps to absorb that water transferred down into the aquifer is
which we use for drinking water so from a watershed perspective
one of the fires removed that that's plunged
you know that capturing mary
it allows unit this devastation allows
in in the morning of the rivers and streams in erosion and taking away our
top story and some cases
you take away the topsoil and then nothing will grow on top of that and you
can look at some of our
you know you jerry brown xh tree for example a_b_c_'s peter scars and nothing
is growing their m
utica we got tough so it's hard for vegetation to come back or something
does come back it's again it's it's weeds again yeah
uh... also it's bad for the watershed and from the rare plants you know
prospective you native plants plans that we have
in hallway that we don't have anywhere else in the world you know you have
these fires through
and it did
basically white sauce
wakes up the last remaining on plants that we have for example on
but not without gardenia brick and yet there's only one
plant one single individual out uh... individual left on the height
um... and this plant there's less than fifty left hand
indo dupont unknown universally and on
there's only one left on the wall and and the reason why the other lands were
taken his most likely fired
and stuff supplier
has a negative impact or career plans
not good for
needless
he and petrified
not sell anything surfer
pretty good impact health of our options them
the syndication on return my not this
is that true
yeah i think they also are you
the with the
marine biologists are stuff
ek hi watch discourage adelaide you knowing that the sedimentation here from
the runoff in the erosion addictive covers the core researcher doesn't have
a positive impact it is not so good right in this section
well african lean and i'm just a little bit early air uh...
last week actually about the honolulu fire department and the
great project that we have with them
and today we have another guest for that
we have guests
captain terry sea link with the honolulu fire department i'd like to introduce
him today
and myself i'm hoping that you can share a little information with us about your
partnership and
how you are to help protect against violent crime
buyers technique
first uh...
thank you folks were invited us and we have a a really deep in uh...
for farmers dealer does
and protecting the forest
uh... most the time our response is not to the higher elevations uh...
that uh... bill for
well will go to we
are large minnesota love fire department
but we cover the whole island uh... there are agreements with the parts
bienen that are protected by
speed
their ports or federal the federal fire department and wild fires can happen
anywhere others land that shared throughout uh... violin where
um... merges response plans are in place and we will respond to pretty much
almost the fires on the island either first in north called in
depending on where it is and wildfires on
their season all in the sense that they get greater when it's hotter but they're
not seasonal in the sense that we have on
year-round
and um...
move manage them along with all the other emergencies that you see a sad
thing that happened thus a big island it's a big city
we have over a million people here and we have all the problems of having
million people with other
types of emergencies other types of fires medical emergencies has your smith
terial surgeon rescues in the ocean and mountains
so we do all that and we've really all the credit that uh... debt of gratitude
to the
uh...
go far
and their expertise and and wildfire management
well recommends that you guys are
first responders for most of the fires and once of the really appreciate your
support as well
how many wildfires
were there on a lot different since last year
the last year
we comment about five hundred fifty rollover
and uh... if it fluctuates from year year it has a lot to do with the weather
at the few alone
we've had some years so we've had close to a thousand in in the year
and these range from very very small com events such as uh...
just up at a grouse week still categorize that in the same
category of fire
uh... to several hundred acres uh... of fire
so i think that's that's from january through me
and could you tell us that a pick up those men what you're thinking like so
far
you know well
this year
january until may we have about seventy seven
wildfire calls
uh... so far in june and were up to about the twenty seconds when i stopped
the
uh... we've had um...
included sab sixty
yes i believe the sixty s domino from me but it's it's a big increase spending
reason is is that the weather station
he's getting a little dryer now
uh... you know it rained today we're still seeing uh... less rain and the
fuel the started to dry out uh... grasses and brushes that ur
commonly the areas have burned
and also um...
winds are changing a little bit
where we haven't yet had um...
uh... what are wildfire that spread rapidly
traditionally what will happen during the summer is it will be drier
uh... apple or lower buschur content in the fuel and the winds will uh... push
the fire faster and then we'll start to get unfortunately some big fire spreads
well one big fights but that we wanna share with our audience today and thanks
for joining us
ordeal in our field
is of video of a fire world captured the nation's attention and beyond
so but i think ryan for joining us and share a little information about this
fire world via video and then when we get back we're gonna have another
caspian
enjoy the video
they're called
fire tornadoes
for fire worlds
a fire devils
there are rarely seen phenomenon that can be catastrophic
this fire tornado was reported in late august by a firefighter with the
why department land and natural resources
fire tornadoes occur when intense heat causes fear to rise to combine between
eddie's appear
it consists of a quarrel
and invisible pocket proceeding here
because of the intense heat builtin here mixed with gases from burning vegetation
can increase dramatically in intensity
lifting smoke degree and embers high into the air
fire tornadoes can spew members thousands of feet in the air
allowing wildfires to spread quickly
the hawaii firefighters are battling a fourteen hundred acre blaze on the seven
slope of mauna kea volcano
this world is too dangerous to try and fight
in the video this fire world started with the mural column of fire in the
center of a small best tornado
then the tornado gets bigger
and the fire grows
in the end of the video
the fire sort of
explodes to be much larger and more dangerous
as the fire truck drives away
you can see the enormity of the fire
now we have with us battalion chief victor went
from the federal fire department thanks for joining us today distributor thank
you
begin thanks for all of your working your partner stick to
the decision of question mildly deal in our in our work to prevent wildfires for
the people of aloft
statewide right
predominantly the island of along
okay well as something that
you could share a little information about the role of at firing fire
prevention
well the federal for department
in hawaii is the largest federal fight part man in the world
we have over three hundred men and women
fifteen stations and headquartered here
here on this island
and we respond to every type of emergency structure fires car accidents
and uh...
respond to fires aboard
ships and substance
we deal with the full gamut to include medical emergencies but wildfires
is the issue and yes we do respond to a number of them
and
of course
we want to strive to prevent as nanny while prize as possible and that's one
of those three points in the far triangle
and he could share a little bit about the
fire prevention programs that we have here that we all are tied together as
partners against wild sure
yes we do partner with
state forestry and uh... wolf our department and other emerged to
responding agencies to set up an aggressive and progressive
wildfire prevention program
our chief uh... says all the time the best way to fight a fighters to prevent
the fight
and that's why we have the campaign going out and tried to focus on the
children
killing says the very thing incorrect that are within that by
by banks to prevent
happening in the first place
prevention program
you know is focused on
uninsured and on the list as well so it's important that we did in this
and honey
well you know we go a week at community meetings we've gone to school is in
done some exhibits and
course for for forestry students more to be has been aragon
and we're trying to push that
that program
prisons in this very successful
everything come a lot last year alone wit ryan
coming reached almost five thousand school students headset mock acl
elementary school with a all of you guys here are the areas
it was the adam's a really wonderful experience i think it really stalker
some of the students and some of the adults to touched our hearts
but the canceling
now we're gonna show a little clip
abouts a wildfire that happened here on a waffle just a couple years ago
and unfortunately a number of the fires that are set
actually set intentionally
and i'm hoping that you guys can
cher little information about
school seventy that day
on how those intentional wildfires impact your units near bility to respond
to emergencies
well thank you michelle
yes uh...
when these fires are are set
it takes a valuable resources away from
emergencies such as uh... structure fires car accidents medical emergencies
things like that to fight a fire that was a
uh... that didn't need to to happen in the in the first place
and uh...
the destruction like was
a good rhianna when he was talking about earlier
exits
that's hardly it burns are vegetation and it kills in
and dangerous p_c_s and
and uh... the silt runoff runs into our stream which ultimately runs into
quotient
and uh... it's a horrible scar
the other thing is reusing tens of thousands of gallons of water to fight
this unnecessary five
water that we can afford to to lose especially during a our summer months
are dry periods
preventing the fires of are the ultimate goal and
with a strong
public awareness and prevention program like
like what we're doing now
we feel is the key
thank you
think yachts as hoping maybe terry it showed up at about that too
high-impact sorry sources and also financially i mean
down to that bottom dollar so how do you fires impact the public
in terms of
financial resources as well as that
the impact it has in years
response to a wildfire sizzle
uh... *** was saying
is aid
big uh... use of resources uh...
the resources are pretty much already paid for in the whole fire department in
terms of uh... salary and and equipment
however the more you zip code and the more wears out
so we will have uh... a greater rate of uh...
square and terror
um... but the most uh... significant impact is that
the resources are committed
then other resources on the highland are going to be shifted around in our
department so that we can cover the areas that we protect which is the whole
island
eventually div
that continues to cascade
wool not be able to get to an emergency as quick as we want to end as we could
have if the resources were in their facility
uh... so that's the most significant impact is the risk that it presents to
the rest of the citizens you might think that what we have a while for all of the
west side
uh... is no impact except on the west side while that's really not true his
wall
uh... companies and from the windward side from the east side from central
side
and will be adjust our um...
coverage and that will be
less units available if there's another big event such as a structure fire or
something personally significant like
your friend or family having a medical emergency
they can make a difference
maybe you and and rainbow content little bit about how well planned kaise
wildfires
impact structures to because
you know when i'll addicts
very small community and
we have a lot of land in fact about corner of the land is managed by the
department women actually faces just over a million acres
but that million incase statewide
we have a lot of houses interspersed so howdy wildfires impact structures
people help too
protect their homes against wildfire
especially uh... homes in the rare is no there is
may recall in terminator face criminal and
interacts or interfaces with
and
does communities of this whole mess
home owners need to be aware that
into keeping it here's around their houses
free from you know
tall grass is or
uh... here are some good garters from from any
needs
and really um... try to protect your myspace as possible so that there are
two five does come true
there's enough room set of on a fighter pilot in command there and do their job
without also enough not injuring anybody away
best which is really important for forty sixty
to protect homes is really is a really important thing so if we can look it
but we have call a national fire weiss program
and that they can get on that their website name
there's lots of kids about
to contribute
and we have fire wise representatives here and islands as well main escrow and
it's important for you all to know that you want to make sure that you do not
have to create thirty feet from your house fred wayne
yes i have a nice clear area and anyone in each of those guys are clear
and also
one common stamina get this frog and i about nine one one t buddy saying
dissolves all to all of all hell i'll call don't start call nine one one if
you ever have any problems with uh... r_t_c_ a wildfire
you may be the very first percent accurate wildfire seller
and oftentimes people think of somebody else got back biotech quick
they spread fast when i make sure that people are vigilant not just are
firefighters could better support them
so wanna make sure that everyone is visual and we all work to protect
against wildland firefighters
two guys have any
tips that you might share with our audience
wages being finalized farsi
i wasn't there say
at the be careful with your use of fire whether it's recreational or if you're
working you know uh... torturer tools
all those can accidentally start fires
but also please help the community
and getting uh... information to law enforcement if you know of anybody
setting fires intentionally at sea only way that we're going to make a
difference in that
problem is how people
share information with
uh... police officers
well thanks again for joining us i'm gail and i revealed monotonous chants
n_p_f_ do you think you now that were developed i think that a connection
aloha and
until next time
it shear dozens of life as a static safely
distress homes family lives and causes health problems
libraries dickens late-night including needed for a tax cut
exchequer max
but very strict everywhere
remember lamictal and com each other and dunstan rights
distasteful
guys
fight
careful and
star eyes
family that what you told me that fire
why yes i think it and that's it
could affect your finances
next a second so
fighting will lead to another and it's hopeless who burned out
but are much action i
all day long gone for anybody comes
thanks for the heads up though