Appendix ES-5 Waianae Kai Fire Report July Waianae Kai Forest Reserve Fire Memorandum for Record July 26, 2012 APVG-GWV (200-3) 27 July 2012

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1 Waianae Kai Forest Reserve Fire Memorandum for Record July 26, 2012 APVG-GWV (200-3) 27 July 2012 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD SUBJECT: Memorandum for record regarding Waianae Kai Forest Reserve Fire July 26, Background The fire started at approximately 1355 on July 26, 2012 on private land below the Waianae Kai Forest Reserve in the Waianae Mountains, Oahu. The Oahu Army Natural Resource Program (OANRP) staff, where conducting management work in cooperation with DLNR staff when the fire was spotted. Crews working on the Kuamipo ridge crest saw two points of ignition that began to burn next to the access road. DLNR staff called 911 to make a report. OANRP base notified Joby Rohrer at 1400 and preparations were made to dispatch staff, contact DLNR Forestry, alert Army Wild Land Fire, prepare to mobilize helicopter support and brief the USAG Natural Resource Manager and the OANRP Program Manager. The weather at the time was dry, hot ( >80 F) and windy (5-20mph) blowing northwest. These conditions favored the rapid spread through the dry terrain. These conditions and the proximity to rare endangered plants prompted OANRP to respond to the fire. The fire was burning through dry fuels dominated by Uchaloa maximum and Leucaena leucephala. Fortunately there area has been grazed and fuels were not heavy. Observers monitored the fire and HFD response. The fire spread rapidly northwest from the road with a steady wind behind it and crews photographed its spread from the road.

2 Status of fire at 1400 soon after ignition

3 Status of fire at 1415

4 Status of fire at 1430 HFD was on scene by 1410 and Air one arrived at approximately Army Wild Land Fire also responded to the fire and where on seen by On site, Army Wild Land Fire was not able to establish communication with HFD and after an initial assessment returned to Schofield. After consultations with both DLNR Forestry and Army Wild Land Fire, OANRP called for helicopter support from Airborne helicopters and Jim Huff was dispatched from Kauai and Joby Rohrer left for Waianae Kai to manage operations. Of particular importance in this decision was DLNR Forestry s communication with National Weather Service that indicated winds may turn North in the later afternoon. If this were to occur the fire could be pushed into the Forest Reserve and directly impact additional endangered species. The fire posed a threat to federally listed endangered species located approximately 1000 meters to the northwest along the Kamaileunu ridge. Fire is the largest threat to dry forest ecosystems in Hawaii which have become dominated by invasive grass such as U. maximum. The Endangered and rare plant taxa threatened by this fire include Euphorbia celastroides var. kaenana, Nototrichium humile, Neraudia angulata, Lobelia niihauensis and Melanthera tenuis.

5 Figure 1: Map showing the extent of the burn and proximity to the endangered species. July 26, OANRP staff on scene (Joby Rohrer) 1650 Airborne start water bucket loads 1800 Airborne stop water drops and begins aerial recon 1815 Airborne departs Staff Time Total Hours Joby Rohrer Company & Pilot Time Total Hours Airborne Aviation (Jim Huff) ~ HFD AirOne (Steve Aiu) ~ Sequence of Events 1355: OANRP and DLNR staff reports a fire below the Waianae Kai Forest Reserve. 1410: HFD on site.

6 1430: AirOne (Steve Aiu) on scene. 1430: Army Wildland Fire on scene. Return to Schofield at : OANRP Joby Rohrer on scene, makes contact with IC Roland Harvest and prepares for helicopter management 1650: Airborne Aviation Jim Huff on scene, begins water drops with air one 1800: Airborne Aviation stops water drops and begins aerial recon with OANRP 18:15: Airborne Aviation departs. 1830: OANRP Joby Rohrer de-briefs with IC and departs. Fire extent