The state House of Representatives has released its final report on short-term and long-term recommendations following the Maui wildfires.
House Speaker Scott Saiki formed six working groups to gather information and assist lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session. The state’s response to the Maui fires will likely be a significant part of the session.
The report provided recommendations about housing, jobs, businesses, schools, supplies and environmental remediation. However, Saiki noted that lawmakers were particularly interested in participating in gathering information about Hawaiʻi's wildfire prevention needs.
“I think House members looked at what happened in Lahaina and then realized that there are so many other areas in the state, including their own communities, that have the same kind of conditions as Lahaina. And so they realize that there are many areas in our state that are at risk,” Saiki said.
The House report recommends a variety of fire prevention policies, ranging from infrastructure upgrades to the restoration of native plants and replacing flammable or invasive ones.
It also supports limitations to fireworks, beefed-up responses to downed power lines and the development of community plans in the event of future fires.
The working group noted that the area burned by wildfires in the state has grown by 300% between 1904 and 2022 and that all islands have been subjected to large fires.
