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| A wildfire skirts a neighborhood in Kaʻū. Community groups, private landowners and government agencies can sign up for grant money to help prevent wildfires. Photo by Bob Martin |
The Community Wildfire Defense Program is intended to help at-risk local communities and Tribes to plan for and reduce the risk of wildfire. The program was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, or have been impacted by a severe disaster that affects the risk of wildfire.
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program also helps communities in the wildland urban interface implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.
The program provides funding to communities for two primary purposes:
The program provides funding to communities for two primary purposes:
Develop and revise Community Wildfire Protection Plans. Implement projects described in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan that is less than ten years old.
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U.S. AND STATE OF HAWAI'I FLAGS WILL CONTINUE TO FLY HALF-STAFF until sunset next Tuesday Oct. 17. Gov. Josh Green ordered both flags to be flown at half-staff at Hawai‘i State Capitol and at all state offices and agencies, as well as at Hawai‘i National Guard facilities in the State of Hawai‘i.
Restore and Maintain Landscapes so that landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire-related disturbances, in accordance with management objectives.
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Create Fire Adapted Communities so that human populations and infrastructure can better withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property.
Improve Wildfire Response so that all jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions.
Projects that are eligible for CWDG funding must be identified as a priority project in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan that covers that geographic area. CWPP's can be found on the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization website: www.hawaiiwildfire.org/cwpp-resources and state Department of Land & Natural Resources website: dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/fire/community-risk-reduction/community-wildfire-protection-plans/. The Kaʻū area plan is to be updated through a recent grant to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife.
In addition, proposed projects need to support the Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and relevant State Forest Action Plan (or equivalent Tribal plan), and should contribute or connect to broader wildfire risk reduction efforts. Applicants will be asked to provide a comprehensive but succinct overview of the proposed project that includes basic details of who is doing what, where, why this is important, and how it is described in the CWPP. Projects that benefit traditionally under-served or marginalized audiences are strongly encouraged.
The announcement for the grant offers suggested considerations:
Does proposed project effectively reduce wildfire risk to the identified at-risk community, and how?
Is applicant reaching out across entities to be sure it is not duplicating or creating competition between like proposals?
Are proposed risk-reduction activities integrated with ongoing wildfire risk-reduction efforts and partners?
Would applicant like to be connected to other applicants that are proposing similar projects or that are proposing projects that benefit the same or adjacent at-risk communities?
Create Fire Adapted Communities so that human populations and infrastructure can better withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property.
Improve Wildfire Response so that all jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions.
Projects that are eligible for CWDG funding must be identified as a priority project in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan that covers that geographic area. CWPP's can be found on the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization website: www.hawaiiwildfire.org/cwpp-resources and state Department of Land & Natural Resources website: dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/fire/community-risk-reduction/community-wildfire-protection-plans/. The Kaʻū area plan is to be updated through a recent grant to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife.
In addition, proposed projects need to support the Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and relevant State Forest Action Plan (or equivalent Tribal plan), and should contribute or connect to broader wildfire risk reduction efforts. Applicants will be asked to provide a comprehensive but succinct overview of the proposed project that includes basic details of who is doing what, where, why this is important, and how it is described in the CWPP. Projects that benefit traditionally under-served or marginalized audiences are strongly encouraged.
The announcement for the grant offers suggested considerations:
Does proposed project effectively reduce wildfire risk to the identified at-risk community, and how?
Is applicant reaching out across entities to be sure it is not duplicating or creating competition between like proposals?
Are proposed risk-reduction activities integrated with ongoing wildfire risk-reduction efforts and partners?
Would applicant like to be connected to other applicants that are proposing similar projects or that are proposing projects that benefit the same or adjacent at-risk communities?
"We want to ensure coordination and connectedness as we all move forward together toward protecting Hawaiʻi from wildfire. You can reach out to us by emailing admin@hawaiiwildfire.org or by submitting this assistant request form."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.
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"This observance is to honor the lives of those lost, including Americans, that began with the attacks on Israel" last weekend, said a statement from Green's office.
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KAʻŪ REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL WITH ONE GAME LEFT before playoffs.
KAʻŪ REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL WITH ONE GAME LEFT before playoffs.
Kaʻū High Trojan Girls beat Ka 'Umeke Wednesday at home in three sets, 25-11, 25-6 and 25-9. The final game of the season is away at Honoka'a beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.
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To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.
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