Marshall Fire Mitigation Assessment Team report (MAT) & Technical Advisories

The MAT report and 6 technical advisories compiled lessons learned from the 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County, Colorado to reduce losses from wildfire, covering topics including:

• Defensible space in low- and high-density communities
• Best practices for wildfire-resilient subdivision planning
• Decreasing risk of structure-to-structure fire spread
• Wildfire-resilient detailing, joint systems, and interfaces of building components
• Mitigation strategies to address multi-hazard events

Ready, Set, Go!

The Hawai‘i wildfire readiness guide explains:

• The conditions that contribute to wildfire
• Readiness strategies for homeowners in Hawai‘i, including:
  • Wildfire-resilient retrofits
  • Defensible space
  • Creating your own wildfire emergency action plan
  • Residential safety checklist

Tips for Firewise Landscaping

This brochure provides guidance on selecting suitable plants for your yard to reduce wildfire hazards. The tips for landscaping contain guidance for plant:

• Selection
• Placement
• Care

It also includes references to weeds that should be avoided for their fire-promoting traits, and tools to assist in the selection of non-invasive trees and plants.

Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards – Fourth Edition

The Homeowner’s Handbook from Hawai‘i Sea Grant covers:

• Science of drought, wildfires, hurricanes, tsunamis, other hazards
• Emergency supplies and evacuation kit
  • Emergency/evacuation plans (flood, wildfire, tsunami, hurricane)
  • Defensible space & fire mitigation
  • Continuous load path
  • Wind resistant retrofits step-by-step guide (roof to wall ties, windows)
  • Creating strong, cool, sealed roof

Retrofit Solutions for Hawai‘i Homeowners – Simpson Strong-Tie

This brochure covers:

• Roof to wall ties
• HPTZ hurricane tie – specifically for older Hawaiian Homes
• Opening protection
• Post-and-pier retrofit

Building for High-Wind Resilience in Light-Frame Wood Construction

This APA Brochure  is useful for existing older houses in Hawai‘i with light-wood frame construction. Although concrete-CMU construction would be more fire resistant, there are still many wood frame houses in existence. It is still possible to make wood structures more fire resilient with defensible space and fire-resistant materials that are properly detailed for the house envelope.

• Continuous-load-path
• Roof to wall ties
• Attaching decking to trusses
  • Additional Resources

Community, Businesses, and Homeowners

• Building Codes – County of Maui: The Development Services Administration provides an overview of the building codes enforced by the County of Maui, including the county and/or state amendments.
  • 2024 International Wildland Urban Interface Code: Optional building code with provisions that help protect life and property from wildland fires, adjacent structure fires, and fires spreading through wildland fuels.
  • 2020 ICC 700 National Green Building Standard: Optional building code that offers design flexibility for sustainable and cost-effective approaches for topics such as resource, water, and energy efficiency.
• Business Check – Contractor Licensing: Search tools to find a licensed contractor.
• Disaster Recovery Building Permit: Instructions on applying for a permit to repair, rebuild, or alter a structure damaged by qualifying disaster events.
• Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology: Provides technical knowledge on combining property and community-level Wildland Urban Interface mitigation strategies, including defensible space, structural hardening, housing density, structure separation distance and property layouts.
• Get Support at Resource Centers: Comprehensive resource list for local in-person survivor support.
• Hawai‘i wildfires | U.S. Small Business Administration: Guidance on applying for Small Business Administration Disaster Loans for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and nonprofits.
• Insurance | Fire Claim Information: Guidance and commonly asked questions on filing an insurance claim for property damaged by wildfires.
• Maui Fires Recovery – AIA: This guide developed by the American Institute of Architects shares links to architects in Maui, Hawai‘i and abroad to assist in recovery. It also offers links to helpful websites and resource documents.
• Maui Recovers: Offers community news updates associated with the recovery and several support resources for residents and businesses with opportunities to obtain in-person assistance for fire recovery.
• Maui Recovery Assistance: This resource hub offers assistance for housing, financial relief, employment, business, food, medical, and transportation.
• Outdoor Fire Safety: Safety tips to keep residents fire safe while enjoying outside activities including messages on grill fire safety, fire pits, campfires, chimney and outdoor fireplaces, and fireworks.
• Pacific Fire Exchange: Program that shares fire science and research for practitioners, scientists, policymakers, and communities within the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.
• WUI Virtual Handbook: Provides resource materials and fire mitigation strategies to fire departments for property risk assessments in the Wildland-Urban Interface.

Community Specific – Wildfire Protection Plans

Provides a map of communities at risk from wildfires, guidance for hazardous fuel reduction treatments, and reducing structural ignitability.

• South Maui – Community Wildfire Protection Plan:
• Western Maui – Community Wildfire Protection Plan:
• Upcountry Maui – Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Home Specific

• Home Builders Guide to Construction in Wildfire Zone: Recommendations for building design and construction methods consolidated into 17 fact sheets to increase the change of building survival in wildfire zones.
• Home Disaster Guides: Guidance for making your home more prepared for wildfires, hurricanes, and thunderstorms with wildfire information associated with critical home preparations, exterior home upgrades, wildfire-resistant yards, and home evacuation steps.
• Rebuild — Helping Maui: A step-by-step guide to the rebuilding process for Maui homeowners.
• Retrofitting a Home for Wildfire Resistance – Cost Considerations: Summarizes the costs and benefits of retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance. The study is based in California, but it can be referenced as a benchmark for affordability and benefits.
• Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide: Specific retrofit recommendations to help homes survive wildfires.
• Wildfire Home Risk Assessment: Volunteer home assessors may be available to perform a free review of a home and yard for wildfire and ember ignition.
• Wildfire Prepared: Preventative measures to protect a home and yard against wildfire with steps to achieve a three-year designation certificate.