Wildfire and Kaʻala Farm

Written by: Nohea Stevens

As Hawaiʻi continues to experience longer droughts, higher temperatures, and more frequent wildfires, communities across the islands are asking an important question: How do we become more resilient? At Kaʻala Farm, the answer begins with the land.

For 50 years, Kaʻala Farm has demonstrated that caring for the ʻāina is not only about preserving culture—it is also about protecting our communities from natural disasters. The Hawaiian principle of mālama ʻāina teaches that when we care for the land, the land cares for us. Today, that relationship has taken on renewed urgency as wildfire threatens the Waiʻanae Coast.

Understanding Wildfire Risk

The Waiʻanae Coast has become increasingly vulnerable to wildfire due to a combination of prolonged drought, invasive grasses, abandoned agricultural lands, and changing climate conditions. Unlike native Hawaiian forests, invasive grasses such as guinea grass and fountain grass dry quickly and create continuous fuel beds that allow fires to spread rapidly across the landscape.

Many of the devastating fires in Hawaiʻi have begun in these unmanaged areas before moving into neighborhoods and natural ecosystems.

Restoring Native Landscapes

At Kaʻala Farm, restoration begins with replacing fire-prone invasive vegetation with native plants and productive agricultural systems. Native forests create cooler, more humid environments that naturally reduce wildfire intensity while protecting watersheds and improving biodiversity.

Through ongoing restoration efforts, Kaʻala Farm is working to:

• Remove invasive vegetation where feasible.

• Restore native Hawaiian plant communities.

• Maintain healthy agroforestry systems.

• Protect streams and watershed resources.

• Increase the landscape's natural resilience to drought and fire.

Every restored acre contributes to a healthier ecosystem and reduces conditions that allow catastrophic wildfires to spread.

Agriculture as Fire Prevention

Healthy, actively managed agricultural lands can serve as effective wildfire buffers.

Traditional Hawaiian food systems—including loʻi kalo, agroforestry, and diversified agriculture—maintain moisture in the landscape and interrupt the continuity of dry fuels. Irrigated fields, orchards, and managed vegetation create natural firebreaks while producing food for the community.

At Kaʻala Farm, mālama ʻāina means caring for both people and place through sustainable land stewardship.

Community Preparedness

Wildfire resilience extends beyond the farm. It requires community participation.

Kaʻala Farm encourages residents to:

• Remove dry vegetation and debris around homes.

• Create defensible space around structures.

• Maintain access roads for emergency responders.

• Develop family emergency and evacuation plans.

• Stay informed during periods of elevated fire danger.

Prepared communities recover more quickly and are better able to protect vulnerable residents.

Education Builds Resilience

For decades, Kaʻala Farm has welcomed thousands of students to learn through hands-on experiences in Hawaiian culture, agriculture, and environmental stewardship.

Today, wildfire education has become an important part of that mission.

By teaching youth about watershed health, invasive species management, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience, Kaʻala Farm is preparing the next generation of environmental stewards to address the challenges ahead.

Indigenous Knowledge Offers Modern Solutions

Long before the term "climate resilience" became common, Native Hawaiians understood how healthy landscapes reduced environmental risk.

Traditional land management emphasized:

• Caring for forests that capture rainfall.

• Maintaining flowing streams and irrigated agricultural systems.

• Managing vegetation to reduce hazardous fuel buildup.

• Building reciprocal relationships between people and the natural world.

These practices continue to offer practical solutions for today's wildfire challenges.

A Community Responsibility

Wildfire preparedness is not the responsibility of one agency or organization alone. It requires partnerships among landowners, nonprofits, government agencies, schools, and community members.

Kaʻala Farm remains committed to working with these partners to restore landscapes, educate future generations, and strengthen the resilience of the Waiʻanae Coast.

As we look toward the future, our mission remains rooted in the same values that have guided us for nearly five decades: mālama ʻāina, mālama kekahi i kekahi—care for the land, and care for one another.

By restoring the ʻāina today, we are helping to protect our communities for generations to come.

Join us at our final Ready Set Go Nā Waiʻanae on Tuesday, August 25th, at KS Māʻili Learning Center.