Jennifer Sinco Kelleher.

Lahaina Street runs through the heart of Makaha, a neighborhood in a west Oahu community that’s a lot like the Lahaina on Maui that burned down in a deadly wildfire in 2023. Residents on Oahu’s Waianae coast have long known about similarities that make them prone to wildfires, including geography and dry climate. But nearly two years after Lahaina burned, there are no communities in Waianae that are “Firewise.” Communities become Firewise by organizing a committee, creating a hazard assessment, developing an action plan and volunteering time. The nationally recognized program tracks a community’s progress and connects residents with experts, ideas and funding for mitigation events, workshops and training.