Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 36, Number 11, 1 November 2019 — DHHL Completes Hanapepe Firebreak [ARTICLE]

DHHL Completes Hanapepe Firebreak

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) recently completed an extensive landscaping project in Hanapēpē, Kaua'i that included the installation of a firebreak to protect 47 homes on Hawaiian Home Lands. The firebreak installation, conducted by Kaua'i Nursery & Landscaping, resulted in the removal of over 30 abandoned vehicles and roughly 80 tons of trash that included refrigerators, washing machines, other various appliances, scrap metal,

tires and household items. "We are pleased that DHHL has moved forward with installing this important safety measure," said Kaua'i Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Kilipaki Vaughan. "The overgrowth in the area presented a tremendous fire threat to all of the nearby homes. Creating this strategic firebreak and maintaining its landscape will effectively prevent fires from occurring or spreading, whieh will ultimately protect the homes and lives of all 'ohana in the area." Affected homesteaders were notified about the landscaping work that would be occurring outside of their respective property lines. "We're just grateful to the Department for cleaning it up and cutting back all that growth," said

Miehael Chandler, who has been on Hawaiian Home Lands in Hanapēpē since 1998. "It was so bad you couldn't see what was going on back there. Now at least we ean see and it looks better." The Department will install a protective fence and mow the grass on a regular schedule to maintain the fire break. For increased safety, DHHL also plans to improve an existing drainage ditch.