Our Purpose

Wildfires are complex and multifaceted.

Our Vision

For the people and places of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific to be wildfire-ready and wildfire-resilient.

Our Mission

To serve as a hub of wildfire prevention, mitigation, and planning activities in the Hawaiʻi-Pacific region through proactive, collaborative, and forward-thinking projects.

Group of seven people standing outdoors in front of a mountainous landscape with green slopes and a partly cloudy sky.
People at Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization booth with a person in owl mascot costume. Tents and people in background at outdoor event.
Group photo of diverse professionals, including police officers, sitting and standing in a room with white walls and a whiteboard, smiling and making hand gestures.

How we focus our time & effort:

  • HWMO works collaboratively with residents and workers in fire-prone areas to reduce wildfires and enhance protection measures.

    Our projects aim to decrease the frequency of wildfires and mitigate their impact on both built and natural environments, focusing exclusively on wildfire projects, and partnering with firefighters, natural resource managers, and community groups.

    • Social media platforms are used to provide information about wildfire prevention, preparedness, incidents, trends, research findings, events, opportunities

    • Printed informational resources on a variety of wildfire-related topics

    • Youth coloring and activity books focused on wildfire awareness and prevention

    • Attendance at events across Hawaiʻi to share information with the public

    • Attendance at national and international meetings and conferences to represent Hawaiʻi and the US-Affiliated Pacific

  • HWMO develops its work plan in consultation with partners across Hawaiʻi, including emergency responders, natural resource managers, and community members.

    This ensures that our efforts align with the specific needs and priorities of those dealing with wildfires on the ground.

  • HWMO serves as a central point of contact within Hawaiʻi for wildfire-related issues.

    We also facilitate communication and collaboration between Hawaiʻi and mainland and international wildfire-related entities and programs.

Our Approach

HWMO directly serves the priorities of our partners with next-level, collaborative, proactive projects designed to reduce immediate wildfire hazards and to continuously build the knowledge and capacity to more broadly and effectively address the region’s wildfire needs.

  • HWMO brings together established and new partners with a vested interest in wildfire outcomes to co-identify the next-level priorities for wildfire prevention, safety, suppression, and recovery.

    We intentionally create opportunities and gatherings where those whose work, homes, and landscapes are impacted by wildfire state their concerns and priorities, and generate project input provided by our partners directly determines the HWMO work plans from year to year.

  • On behalf of our partners, and with the expertise provided by HWMO Technical Advisors, HWMO leads and/or participates in projects that address current and next-level wildfire priorities.

    Projects and programs are co-designed and frequently carried out to achieve multiple goals for multiple parties at once. HWMO often serves as the point of contact among many cooperators and leads post-project reflection and next-step planning among all.

  • Through its collaborative design and partner-building approach, HWMO continuously builds community while building capacity to address the Hawaiʻi-Pacific Region’s increasing wildfire challenges.

    Pursuing a combination of improved knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s wildfire issues, an increased understanding of strategies and solutions, and more residents, professionals, businesses, and lawmakers involved. HWMO has for almost 2 decades been building Hawaiʻi’s capacity to address its wildfire situation. HWMO’s projects and programs strategically build on one another to take Hawaiʻi to the next level over and over again.

Our Values

  • Service-oriented

  • Proactive

  • Collaboration-focused

  • High-integrity practices and processes

  • Cutting-edge

  • Science-driven

  • Educational

  • Rooted/grounded

  • Responsive to the wildfire-related needs of the region and our partners

  • Respectful, considerate, and helpful

  • Multidisciplinary

  • Diverse partners

  • Fun

  • Providing connections, serving as a hub

  • Healthy, supportive workplace

Our History

Tribute: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

In this heartfelt essay, HWMO co-Executive Director Elizabeth Pickett honors two foundational figures in Hawai‘i’s wildfire management, Wayne Ching and Miles Nakahara, whose leadership, collaboration, and mentorship shaped the state’s wildfire readiness and infrastructure. Both retired leaders of the Hawai‘i State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, they played pivotal roles in establishing multi-agency coordination and leading the formation of HWMO itself. Their passing in 2020 marked a profound moment of reflection and renewed commitment: HWMO and its partners continue to build on their legacy by working together toward a more wildfire-safe Hawai‘i.

Read the full tribute
Group photo of two men in uniform, one wearing a cap with 'FIRE' on it, standing in front of an emergency vehicle, with a title about a tribute to Wayne Ching and Miles Nakahara.

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Two women smiling while holding a proclamation document at an indoor event, with other people in the background.
Two women sitting at a table with Hawaii Firewise banner, information pamphlets, and rocks in front of a fire truck and a yellow fire engine.