HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
1419
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to fire protection.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that some of our nation's most devastating fires have been the result of lingering hotspots reigniting, including the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 which destroyed more than two thousand five hundred structures, the 2021 Boulder County fire which was the most destructive in Colorado's history, and, the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century, the 2023 Lahaina fire. While investigations are still underway, evidence is increasingly pointing to the widespread California fires of January 2025 being caused by reignition of previous blazes that were not entirely extinguished.
The legislature further finds that with worsening drought conditions and more severe weather events associated with strong wind gusts, it is imperative that fires are monitored even following initial control and apparent extinguishment actions to eliminate the chances of reignition.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to clearly define stages of wildfire suppression efforts.
SECTION 2. Chapter 132, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"[Underlined: §132- ] [Underlined: Duty to address fire stages.] [Underlined: When discussing the status of fires with regards to public dissemination of information, internal guidelines for fire operations and suppression actions, formal reporting, and fire safety regulations, the county fire chiefs, state fire marshal, and state fire council shall use the following terminology:]
[Underlined: (1)] [Underlined: "Uncontrolled" means any fire which threatens to destroy life, property, or natural resources, and ]
[Underlined: (A)] [Underlined: Is not burning within the confines of firebreaks, or]
[Underlined: (B)] [Underlined: Is burning with such intensity that it could not be readily extinguished with ordinary tools commonly available. ]
[Underlined: (2)] [Underlined: "Containment" means the status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread.]
[Underlined: (3)] [Underlined: "Controlled" means the completion of the control line around a fire, any spot fires therefrom, and any interior islands to be saved; burned out any unburned area adjacent to the fire side of the control lines; and cooled down all hotspots that are immediate threats to the control line, until the lines can reasonably be expected to hold under the foreseeable condition.]
[Underlined: (4)] [Underlined: "Extinguished" means a previous fire where no hotspots or smoke are detected within the lines for at least forty-eight hours and, under red flag warning or drought conditions, ninety-six hours.]"
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
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Report Title:
Fire Protection; Fire Status; Fire Operation; Definition
Description:
Defines stages of wildfire suppression efforts.
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