Connecting Research to On-the-Ground Wildfire Priorities

PFX strives to serve the needs of wildfire practitioners, island communities and landscapes by working with our partners to identify and pursue relevant science and research across the Pacific region.

2014 Stakeholder Priorities

In 2014, wildfire stakeholders prioritized knowledge about pre-fire management; prevention, outreach, and education; wildland urban interface; after-fire response; wildfire suppression; collaboration; drivers and impacts of wildfire and the use of technologies. These priorities provided a road map for PFX products and activities and a resource to identify and develop research that meets on-the-ground needs (right). Read more here about these stakeholder priorities.

Current Wildfire Research Needs

PFX engages in many questions concerning the relationship of fire to the natural and built (human) environment. This include understanding how the climate crisis is impacting fire outcomes in the Pacific. In addition, building a better understanding of the social, cultural, economic and human dimensions of fire are critical Pacific Island research needs.

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Wildfire Research Regions

savanna-forest mosaic on Yap

Federated States of Micronesia

Guam2

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

Hawaii

Hawai‘i

Hawaii

Hawai‘i – old

Hawai`i Island: Leilani Fire, August 12, 2022

Hawai‘i Island

Kauai Fire Ignitions Heat Map 2012-2020

Limahuli Kaua`i, June 2019.  (Credit: Mike Walker, DLNR)

Kaua‘i

Lahainaluna, Maui, Aug 2018 (Credit: Hank Oppenheimer)

Maui Nui (Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe)

Makaha Valley, O`ahu, Aug 2018. (Credit: Clay Trauernicht)

O‘ahu

Palau

Republic of Palau

Recent Resources for Researchers

Presentation: Overview of University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization fire projects

January 18, 2024

Dr. Kim Burnett, Assistant Director of the University of Hawai`i Economic Research Organization presents some of her economic analysis of Hawaiian dry forest restoration as well as wildfire-related work in the aftermath of the August 2023 Maui fires.

Presentation: Challenges to Rapid Wildfire Containment in Hawai‘i

January 18, 2024

Dr. Lisa Gollin is an applied anthropologist and social scientist who presented her findings from interviews she conducted as part of the project “Challenges to Rapid Wildfire Containment in Hawaii”.

How People, Rainfall and Vegetation Shape Tropical Island Fire Regimes Across Micronesia (Journal of Biogeography, 2023)

January 10, 2024

Authors Clay Trauernicht et al provide the first regional analysis of contemporary wildfire drivers of Pacific Island fire regimes.