HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 163 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 H.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE office of the state fire marshal and the state fire council CLEARLY DEFINE STAGES OF WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AND RELATED EFFORTS in the hawaii state fire code.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 163
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.R. NO.
163
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THAT THE office of the state fire marshal and the state fire council CLEARLY DEFINE STAGES OF WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AND RELATED EFFORTS in the hawaii state fire code.
WHEREAS, some of our nations most devastating fires have been the result of lingering hotspots reigniting; and WHEREAS, the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 which destroyed over 2,500 structures, the 2021 Boulder County fire which was the most destructive fire in Colorados history, and the 2023 Lahaina fire which was the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century, were each caused by the reignition of earlier, seemingly quelled blazes; and WHEREAS, worsening drought conditions and more severe weather events associated with strong wind gusts intensify the risk of wildfire and increase the difficulty of firefighting efforts; and WHEREAS, having clear definitions related to wildfire stages when communicating with the public and for internal guidelines for fire operations and suppression actions, formal reporting, and fire safety regulations would allow for cohesion in understanding of terminology and the execution of appropriate protocols; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the State Fire Council work together to clearly define stages of wildfire suppression and related efforts in the Hawaii State Fire Code; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following terms are included in defined terminology: uncontrolled, contained, controlled, extinguished, and fully extinguished; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the definition of fully extinguished include the necessitation of constant monitoring to ensure the absence of hotspots or smoke for a minimum of forty-eight hours, and under red flag warning or drought conditions, ninety-six hours; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the State Fire Marshal, State Fire Council, county fire chiefs, each countys Fire Prevention Bureau, President of the Hawaii State Senate, and Speaker of the Hawaii State House of Representatives.
WHEREAS, some of our nations most devastating fires have been the result of lingering hotspots reigniting; and
WHEREAS, the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 which destroyed over 2,500 structures, the 2021 Boulder County fire which was the most destructive fire in Colorados history, and the 2023 Lahaina fire which was the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century, were each caused by the reignition of earlier, seemingly quelled blazes; and
WHEREAS, worsening drought conditions and more severe weather events associated with strong wind gusts intensify the risk of wildfire and increase the difficulty of firefighting efforts; and
WHEREAS, having clear definitions related to wildfire stages when communicating with the public and for internal guidelines for fire operations and suppression actions, formal reporting, and fire safety regulations would allow for cohesion in understanding of terminology and the execution of appropriate protocols; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the State Fire Council work together to clearly define stages of wildfire suppression and related efforts in the Hawaii State Fire Code; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following terms are included in defined terminology: uncontrolled, contained, controlled, extinguished, and fully extinguished; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the definition of fully extinguished include the necessitation of constant monitoring to ensure the absence of hotspots or smoke for a minimum of forty-eight hours, and under red flag warning or drought conditions, ninety-six hours; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the State Fire Marshal, State Fire Council, county fire chiefs, each countys Fire Prevention Bureau, President of the Hawaii State Senate, and Speaker of the Hawaii State House of Representatives.
Report Title: Wildfires; Terminology; Fire Code; Definitions
Report Title:
Wildfires; Terminology; Fire Code; Definitions