Four Hawai‘i Island communities and Kaua‘i County are receiving more than $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service, Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program, which helps communities, tribes, nonprofit organizations, state forestry agencies and Alaska Native corporations plan for and mitigate wildfire risks as the country faces an ongoing wildfire crisis.

The USDA’s Forest Service is investing $197 million in 100 project proposals benefiting 22 states and seven tribes. 

The agency used three priorities to narrow down the communities in greatest need. These priorities included communities impacted by severe disaster, those with high or very high wildfire hazard potential or classified as low income. 

The funding for Hawai‘i will be used to update Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) in the following communities: 

• DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, Northwest Hawai‘i CWPP Updates – $84,700
  This project will engage community and agency partners to collaboratively complete a revised hazard assessment, identify shared wildfire concerns, and begin prioritizing risk-reducing actions for purposes of updating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan from 2016. 
• DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, South Kona CWPP Update – $84,700
  This project will engage community and agency partners to collaboratively complete a revised hazard assessment, identify shared wildfire concerns, and begin prioritizing risk-reducing actions for purposes of updating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan from 2015. 
• DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, Ka‘u CWPP Update – $84,700
  This project will engage community and agency partners to collaboratively complete a revised hazard assessment, identify shared wildfire concerns, and begin prioritizing risk-reducing actions for purposes of updating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan from 2015. 
• DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, Oceanview CWPP Update – $84,700
  This project will engage community and agency partners to collaboratively complete a revised hazard assessment, identify shared wildfire concerns, and begin prioritizing risk-reducing actions for purposes of updating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan from 2015. 
• Kaua‘i Fire Department, Updating a CWPP for Kaua‘i County – $78,000
  This project will engage community and agency partners to collaboratively complete a hazard assessment, identify shared wildfire concerns, and begin prioritizing risk-reducing actions for purposes of updating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan from 2016. 

DOFAW will work hand-in-hand with the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO), which conducts hazard assessments and helps communities identify risks and ways to reduce them.