Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT!

Protecting Hawaiʻi: Uniting Against Wildfire Threats

This campaign is a continuous effort to raise awareness and preparedness. It informs people across the state about current fire and drought conditions, offers tips for safeguarding life and property from wildfires, and delivers education on managing prolonged drought.

We're united in this effort with over three dozen government agencies and supporting organizations.

Hot Off the Press

  • Official document from the State of Hawai'i titled 'Increased Funding, Updated Equipment, Enhanced Monitoring and Engaged Communities' regarding a wildfire and drought awareness campaign, dated June 18, 2025.

    Increased Funding, Updated Equipment, Enhanced Monitoring and Engaged Communities 

    Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! Campaign Highlights New Era of Wildfire and Drought Awareness

    Click Here to Read the News Release
  • Official white house webpage with the title 'Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response,' dated June 12, 2025, and a presidential seal.

    Wildfire Executive Order Signed

    President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) titled “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response” related to wildfire response.

    Click Here to Read the EO

  • Managing Effects of Drought in Hawai’i and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands

    How Is Drought Expressed in Hawai‘i and the U.S.-Affliated Pacifc Islands?

    Click Here to Read the Article

Elizabeth Pickett Featured on Hawai‘i Matters Podcast

Our Co-Executive Director Elizabeth Pickett joined Hawai‘i Matters with Kathy With a K to talk about wildfire and drought in Hawai‘i. She shares how the Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! campaign is helping residents and communities reduce risk, stay wildfire ready and resilient, and protect both land and ocean. Tune in to hear practical ways to reduce wildfire risk at home, at school, and around your yard and neighborhood.

Do your part to prevent wildfires

  • A black campfire icon with flames on an orange background.

    Clear vegetation 10 feet around campfires and BBQs, keep a shovel and water nearby, and put them out COLD before walking away.

  • Icon of a lawn mower on an orange background

    Be sure machinery (chainsaws, weed trimmers) and recreational vehicles with operating spark arrestors are maintained regularly.

  • Outline drawing of a pickup truck on an orange background.

    Heat from vehicle exhaust systems can ignite dry grass - park cars on paved areas or where vegetation is trimmed and cleared.

  • A digital illustration of a clock showing a burst of lines radiating from the center on an orange background.

    Fireworks are a common cause of brushfires in dry, grassy areas - attend and enjoy public fireworks displays to maximize safety and fire protection.

14 Easy Wildfire Preparedness Action Ideas

  • Residential neighborhood with single-story houses, parked cars, and palm trees, set against a backdrop of mountains shrouded in mist and clouds.

    Harden Your Home

    • Clear leaves and debris from gutters and roof

    • Maintain 6 inches between siding and ground

    • Cover eaves and vents with 1/8” mesh

    • Clear combustible materials next to and under home and lanai

    • Protect windows - clear vegetation, close them when the fire comes

  • Three people, two women and one man, are raking leaves in a yard. They are all wearing gloves and working together to clean up fallen leaves.

    Lighten Your Landscape

    • Create defensible space within 100 feet of the home or up to the boundary line

    • Keep grass short

    • Keep tree branches high off the ground

    • Clear brush and leaf piles

  • Two men sit at a wooden table outdoors, examining printed maps and documents, with a group of people working in the background.

    Plan Ahead

    • Create and practice a family evacuation plan

    • Include assisting neighbors with special needs in your evacuation plans

    • Make sure fire vehicles and personnel can defend your home from all sides

    • Make sure hydrants, pools, and water tanks are accessible

    • Work with your neighbors or community association to become better prepared for wildfire.

Join the Effort, Spread the Word!

A wildfire with smoke and flames burning through a forested area. An informational poster about wildfire and drought preparedness, including tips for prevention and safety measures in Hawaii.
Guide with steps to wildfire preparedness, including tips for lightening landscape, hardening home, and planning ahead, with contact info and logos at the bottom.

Download these resources for you to explore and share with your network.

Make sure to use #Wildfire&DroughtLookout when posting to social media!

Flyer promoting xeriscaping with a photo of yellow flowering plant on the right side. The flyer highlights benefits of planting drought-tolerant plants to create a defensible space around homes, including protection from wildfire, beautification, cultural preservation, and reduced maintenance. The flyer belongs to the Board of Water Supply, Ka 'Oihana Wai, and provides a website for water-saving tips.

Water Conservation Tips

provided by the Board of Water Supply

A digital text-based informational poster about watering plants and lawns 2-3 times per week, emphasizing that lawns do not need daily watering, and encouraging deep root growth for healthier, more water-efficient lawns. The poster includes a green and white color scheme with a grass background on the right side.
An informational graphic from the Board of Water Supply emphasizing the fire hazards caused by drought. It features a brown background with white text, a water drop icon, and an orange abstract background on the right side.

Translations

  • Sign with the message, 'Click here to view wildfire lookout! Wahi kia‘i no nā ahi hihiū! Wildfire lookout! Translated to ‘Olelo Hawaiian.'

    Wahi kiaʻi no nā ahi hihiu!

    Wildfire LOOKOUT! Translated to Hawaiian

    Download PDF
  • Sign inviting viewers to click to view a wildfire lookout with Chinese text translating to wildfire lookout and a background of flames with fire icons.

    ⼭林⽕灾防控指南

    Wildfire LOOKOUT! Translated to Chinese

    Download PDF
  • Advertisement for wildfire lookout with bold text and Japanese translation, featuring a fire-themed background.

    林野⽕災に備えて

    Wildfire LOOKOUT! Translated to Japanese

    Download PDF
  • Sign promoting a wildfire lookout in Bantay Sunog, with a fiery background and text inviting viewers to click for more information, translated to Tagalog.

    BANTAY SUNOG!

    Wildfire LOOKOUT! Translated to Tagalog

    Download PDF

Spread Awareness, Keep Communities Safe!

Use these shareable tips to print and post in commonly viewed areas, or share them with your network! Mitigating the destruction that these wildfires cause takes everyone’s effort and understanding. The more these tips can be shared with people across Hawaiʻi, the safer all of the communities will be from wildfire.

A safety informational flyer about wildfires and drought, warning people in Hawaii to be cautious and report suspicious activity to 911. Featuring a fiery background with a warning sign and website link.
Informational poster about wildfire and drought awareness featuring a background of flames, with text about wildfire causes in Hawaii, and a logo with the letters HWMO and a small map of Hawaii.
Informational sheet titled 'Wildfire LOOKOUT!' with tips and safety guidelines to prevent wildfires, featuring a background image of flames and a map of Hawaii.

Ready, Set, GO! Wildfire Preparedness Guide

  • Scenic landscape with tall, golden grass in the foreground, green trees and palm trees in the midground, and the blue ocean under a clear sky in the background.

    Ready, Set, GO! Hawaiʻi: Your Personal Action Guide

    In this Action Guide, we provide an in-depth look at the tips and tools you need to prepare for a wildland fire threat (Ready), have situational awareness when a fire starts (Set), and evacuate early (Go!).

    The best practices presented in this guide should be known to all who desire to reduce wildfire risks to their homes, families, and assets.

    Download PDF

Preparing your families, home, and community for wildfires

This webinar equipped participants with essential strategies to prepare, respond, and stay safe in the face of wildfires. From creating defensible spaces to crafting evacuation plans, it covered it all. Don't wait until it's too late – give yourself knowledge and confidence.

Map of Hawaii with islands highlighted in yellow and orange.

Stay Informed: Monitor Hawaiʻi's Drought Conditions

Check out the Hawaiʻi drought monitor by Richard Tinker from NOAA/NWS/NCEP/CPC to stay informed about current drought conditions. Stay proactive and mitigate risks to our environment and communities.

Sign Up for County Emergency Management & Civil Defense Notifications!

Hawaii County

Map showing weather radar with alerts from Hawaii County, featuring logos of Hawaii County Civil Defense and Hawaii County Hawaii State Civil Defense.

Maui County

Emergency alert graphic from Maui County warning residents to be vigilant and alert through the emergency alert system.

Kauai County

County of Kaua'i banner with the county seal and mountain landscape

City & County of Honolulu

Close-up of a digital screen displaying the text "HNL.INFO" in white letters on a blue background.

State of Hawaii

Hawaii government alerts webpage header with official seal, URL, and 'Alerts' title.
Ready Federal Emergency Alerts logo with a checkmark and green text

Federal

Mahalo to all the incredible partners involved!

  • Hawaiʻi Drought Council

  • Hawaiʻi Water Service Company

  • Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization

  • Honolulu Board of Water Supply

  • Honolulu Fire Department

  • Honolulu Department of Emergency Management

  • Kamehameha Schools

  • Kau/Puna/Waiakea Soil & Water Conservation District

  • Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency

  • Kauaʻi Fire Department

  • Kauaʻi Water Department

  • Kauaʻi Watershed Alliance

  • Kohala Watershed Partnership

  • Kona Soil & Water Conservation District

  • Koolau Mountains Watershed Partnership

  • Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership

  • Agribusiness Development Corporation

  • Central West Olinda/Kula/Hana Soil & Water Conservation District

  • College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaiʻi

  • East Maui Watershed Partnership

  • East Molokaʻi Watershed Partnership

  • Federal Fire Department

  • Hawaiian Electric

  • Hawaiʻi Board of Water Supply

  • Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency

  • Hawaiʻi County Fire Department

  • Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency

  • Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife

  • Hawaiʻi Dept. of Agriculture

  • Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resource Management

The Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! Campaign is brought to you by:

  • Maui County Water Department

  • Maui Fire Department

  • Maui Emergency Management Agency

  • Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership

  • Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance

  • National Park Service

  • National Weather Service

  • The Kohala Center

  • The Nature Conservancy

  • Three Mountain Alliance

  • U.S. Army

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

  • U.S. Forest Service

  • U.S. Navy-Hickam/Pearl Harbor

  • United States Geological Survey

  • University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

  • Waiʻanae Mountains Watershed Partnership