(BIVN) – The Red Flag Warning for Hawaiʻi has been extended through Sunday evening, as critical fire weather conidtion persist in leeward areas of all Hawaiian islands. 

The National Weather Service in Honolulu said the continued combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels can contribute to extreme fire behavior. 

On Hawaiʻi island, wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible. 

“Winds will be strongest over and downwind of terrain especially (Saturday) afternoon through the evening,” forecasters said. “Winds will begin a slow decline on Sunday, though critical fire weather conditions are expected as dry weather persists over leeward areas.”

“We have to continue to be vigilant and careful when conditions are this dangerous,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D., in a Saturday news release. “Nearly all of Hawaiʻi’s wildfires are started by human activity, which means nearly all of them are preventable. Residents and visitors alike have a role to play in reducing the risk. Please take this warning seriously, avoid activities that can spark fires and do your part to keep our communities and ‘ohana safe.”

“Red Flag Warnings are a serious call to action,” said James Barros, Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency administrator. “We have all seen how a single spark can have devastating consequences. It is everyone’s kuleana — our shared responsibility — to prevent ignition and protect our communities.”

The County of Hawaiʻi is prohibiting outdoor burning in the affected areas, which include North and South Kohala, Kaʻū, and the Big Island interior. 

All outdoor open flames are also prohibited, as well as “hot work,” which includes but is not limited to grinding, welding, flame cutting, or other fire or spark-producing operations. 

Motorists should also park cars on areas that are paved or where vegetation is trimmed. 

Hawaiian Electric says it may implement its Public Safety Power Shutoff program to proactively shut off power in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk. 

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency shared this additional information:

Human-caused ignitions remain the primary threat

Nearly 99% of wildfires in Hawaiʻi are caused by human activity, including careless disposal of cigarette butts, unattended campfires, “hot work” such as welding that uses machinery causing sparks, burning of yard waste and sparks along roadways and powerline corridors (dlnr.hawaii.gov). Individual actions make the difference.

Fuel loads and climate conditions drive fire severity

Non-native, fire-prone grasses and shrubs cover more than 25% of Hawaiʻi’s landscape, creating “fine fuels” that can spread fire rapidly and unpredictably (hwmo.org). Combined with warming, drier conditions, Hawaiʻi’s fire season is effectively year-round, with about 0.5% of state land burning each year — among the highest proportions in the nation.

Resource challenges and community preparedness

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) manages fire response across nearly 60% of Hawaiʻi’s lands, but constrained personnel and equipment make wildfire mitigation and suppression challenging. This year’s state budget included additional staffing and funding for fire mitigation, as well as approval to reduce fuels on state lands not maintained by DOFAW.

Residents and visitors can also help protect their homes and communities by:

Clearing defensible space: Remove dry vegetation and combustible materials from around structures.

Avoiding activities that can start fires: Do not burn debris, discard cigarettes, or use open flames outdoors.

Maintaining property: Clear gutters, trim fire-prone vegetation and secure loose items.

Being evacuation-ready: Know at least two ways out of your neighborhood and have an emergency kit prepared.

Infrastructure and evacuation challenges

HIEMA continues to work with partnering agencies and counties, utilizing modernized alert systems and enhanced public safety during fast-moving fire events.

“Wildfire preparedness is everyone’s kuleana — from individual homeowners and landowners to public land managers, large agricultural operations and even visitors,” said State Fire Marshal Dori Booth. “We can and must all work together to build a safer, more resilient Hawaiʻi.”