After extreme fires last year that claimed 102 lives, Maui is trying to tackle the invasive grasses that pose a big wildfire risk. That could mean restoring the land to what it once was.
The destructive wildfire that hit Lahaina a year ago revealed major gaps in Maui's wildfire policy. Officials are just starting to address them.
“More people are convinced it’s worth it, if you want to have a house to come back to, if you don't want to have to be afraid for your life,” he says. Firestein says the conversation has changed dramatically since last August. As high winds pushed the fire towards their neighborhood, he and his neighbors were evacuated. Their homes were spared, but the heart of downtown Lahaina was destroyed. Many of those who perished were trying to escape the flames. The loss of life took a heavy toll in a close-knit community.
“Then there’s just the typical denial: ‘What are the chances? You know, what happened in Lahaina was a one-off’,” he says. “We cannot expect somebody who owns 1,000 acres to keep everything four inches short throughout the whole year,” Ventura says. “So we have to make it where it’s safer than it's ever been, but reasonable at the same time.”for landowners who don’t comply. Before, violations cost a one-time fee of $500. Now, fines can be up to $2,500 per day.
Fire experts say to substantially reduce the risk of extreme fires, West Maui’s large swaths of open land need to be transformed. About 26 acres of native Hawaiian plants are growing on a former pineapple field, still owned by Maui Land and Pineapple Company. After pineapple production ended 15 years ago, invasive grasses moved in. Pestana and his restoration team have been working to clear it out, planting native species instead. ʻAʻaliʻi are already growing, a native shrub with clusters of pink flowers. The koa trees will eventually create a broad canopy, restoring habitat that native birds and insects need to survive.
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