Councilmen Call For Fire Safety Bills

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A colorful rainbow greets residents near Mililani Middle School on a recent afternoon. Photo by Nathalie Walker.

North Shore City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz has seen his constituents evacuated three times in five years because of fire, so he has reintroduced legislation that would require agricultural landowners who border residential land to clear their sites of combustible materials.

Dela Cruz, who represents areas from Mililani Mauka to parts of Windward Oahu, also has introduced a resolution requesting the Hannemann administration expedite funding for the expansion and relocation of the 70-year-old Waialua fire station and purchase of a new fire tanker.

Last month, a deliberately set fire burned more than 5,000 acres of land on the North Shore, forcing some Waialua residents from their homes. The fire also spread to about 300 acres in Kaena Point. Westside Councilman Todd Apo co-introduced Bill 64, the combustible materials measure, with Dela Cruz.

The measure has been introduced three times since 2002, first by then-Councilwoman Darrlyn Bunda, and again in 2003 by Dela Cruz.

Donovan DelaCruz

“Each time, the fire department opposed the bill because of concerns on manpower,” Dela Cruz said, referring to fire inspectors. The Honolulu Fire Department would also “recommend to the Council or create rules that create the dimensions for firebreaks because they’re the experts.”

Dela Cruz said ag land cultivated with pineapple or other crops acts as a fire retardant, but vacant ag land feeds fires. “Right now residents have very little time to evacuate because the vacant ag land goes right up to their property,” he explained. “Those are all areas where we see fire frequently, especially during the major fires.”

The bill “should be important to everyone especially people who live next to vacant ag land.

They’ll hopefully be able to have better peace of mind because right now if a fire occurs they have to worry about their property and, God forbid, any physical dangers.”

Dela Cruz also said the Council appropriated more than $3.3 million in the budget for fiscal year 2008 to buy fire department equipment, including a water tanker, and $50,000 to plan for the relocation of the Waialua fire station, which is in a flood zone.

“It’s in the process already,” he said. “What we’re asking for is an expedited process.”