Fund statewide home wildfire assessment program

Statewide Home Wildfire Assessment & Risk Reduction Program

Provide funding to support a statewide program offering voluntary home wildfire assessments and property-specific education to help Hawaiʻi residents identify vulnerabilities and take practical actions to reduce the likelihood of home ignition. Hawaiʻi has been building and delivering this capacity for five years; dedicated funding would allow the program to reach substantially more residents statewide.

Funding would support assessor training and deployment, program coordination, assessment tools, homeowner education, and follow-up assistance. Paid assessors or stipends could expand the assessment workforce while building a larger pool of people skilled in Hawaiʻi-relevant wildfire mitigation practices.

A sustained statewide assessment program could also provide infrastructure for future homeowner incentive, rebate, or reimbursement programs by identifying recommended improvements and documenting completed work when such funding becomes available.

This is an ongoing need as new homes are built, residents move, properties and vegetation change, and wildfire mitigation requires continued maintenance over time.