Report Title:

Public Safety; Fire Protection

 

Description:

Establishes the state wildland-urban fire safety board to develop recommendations for the prevention and control of wildland-urban fires.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1677

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to fire safety.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Wildland-urban interface areas exist wherever residential, industrial, commercial, or agricultural structures are locate within or adjacent to trees or other combustible vegetation.  Wildfires that have the potential to involve buildings and wildland vegetation simultaneously are known as interface fires.  As in many other locations around the world, the threat of interface fires and the economic and social impact they cause is increasing in the State.  Wildland-urban interface fires present a unique set of challenges and obstacles that must be addressed through practical, proactive, community-based solutions.

     The purpose of this Act is to establish the state wildland-urban fire safety board.

     SECTION 2.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

state wildland-urban fire safety

     §   -1  Definitions.  As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

     "Board" means the wildland-urban fire safety board.

     "Wildland-urban interface area" means a geographical area where urban structures, including but not limited to residences, and commercial and industrial structures, meet or intermingle with federal, state, or other public land or private lands that are undeveloped, other than by transportation or utility infrastructure.

     §   -2  State wildland-urban fire safety board, members.  (a)  There is established the state wildland-urban fire safety board.  The board shall be placed in the department of public safety for administrative purposes.

     (b)  The board shall be comprised of twelve members to be selected as follows:

     (1)  Four members shall be appointed by the governor, to include the following officials or their designated representative:

         (A)  A fire chief from one of the four counties;

         (B)  A planning director from one of the four counties;

         (C)  The state forestry program manager; and

         (D)  The executive director of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association.

     (2)  Four members shall be appointed by the governor from a list of eight nominees provided by the president of the senate.  The nominees of the president shall include:

         (A)  A resident or landowner of property in a wildland-urban interface area;

         (B)  A person who is a property owner and volunteer fire fighter in a wildland-urban interface area;

         (C)  A watershed management expert; and

         (D)  An official or employee of one of the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, whose participation shall be requested.

     (3)  Four members shall be appointed by the governor from a list of eight nominees submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives.  The nominees of the speaker shall include:

         (A)  An official of the United States forest service in Hawaii;

         (B)  A faculty member in the University of Hawaii system who is knowledgeable in forest ecology and the effects of high fuel loads;

         (C)  A person who is a resident of a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand and is knowledgeable in real property development in wildland-urban interface areas; and

         (D)  An architect, licensed pursuant to chapter 464, with expertise in designing residential dwellings.

     (c)  The board shall annually elect a chairperson from among its members.  The board shall meet at the call of the chairperson or at the request of at least four members of the board.

     (d)  The members of the board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including travel expenses.

     (e)  Except as provided in this chapter, the board shall be subject to sections 26-34, 26-35, and 26-35.5

     §   -3  Responsibilities of the board.  The board shall develop recommendations for minimum standards for:

     (1)  Safeguarding life and property from wildland fires and related fire hazards;

     (2)  Preventing wildland fires and alleviating fire hazards in wildland-urban interface areas;

     (3)  Identifying and establishing fire evacuation routes and community alert systems;

     (4)  Identifying and creating defensible spaces in wildland-urban interface areas, as authorized by existing county ordinances;

     (5)  Applying adaptive management practices to use in monitoring data from treatment programs to assess the effectiveness of those programs in meeting prevention objectives; and

     (6)  Doing other things necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

     §   -4  Report.  The board shall issue an annual report with recommendations to the governor and the legislature by December 31 of each year.  The board shall provide a copy of the report to a state library, archives, and public records.

     §   -5  Wildland-urban interface code.  (a)  Any county may adopt a wildland-urban interface code.  The code may be adapted from a uniform or model code adopted by a national or international organization for mitigating the hazard to life and property in wildland-urban interface areas.

     (b)  The adoption of a wildland-urban interface code shall be adopted pursuant to chapter 91 and in consultation with federal and state officials."

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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