Kauai Fire Department Cancels Wildfire Protection Workshops Due to Weather

The Kaua'i Fire Department scrapped three Community Wildfire Protection Plan workshops scheduled for March 10 through 12, citing potentially inclement weather expected to sweep across the island as a Kona low system, forecast by the National Weather Service to hit Kaua'i and O'ahu first on Tuesday, moved toward the islands.

The three canceled sessions had been set at different locations across the island's south and north shores. A virtual Zoom session was scheduled for March 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., accessible through bit.ly/KauaiCWPPVirtual. The in-person session at the Kōloa Neighborhood Center in Kōloa was to run March 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a March 12 gathering at Anaina Hou in Kīlauea from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Kaua'i Fire Department announced the cancellations on March 9, one day before the first session was due to begin. No rescheduled dates have been set; the department said information on new dates will be provided in a future update.

The canceled workshops were part of a broader island-wide CWPP series organized through a partnership among the Kaua'i Fire Department, Kaua'i Emergency Management Agency, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization. Earlier sessions in the series were held at the Waimea Neighborhood Center on March 4 and the Anahola Neighborhood Center on March 5. The workshops are designed to prioritize wildfire safety actions, identify mitigation projects, strengthen coordination between residents and agencies, and help position Kaua'i communities to access future wildfire preparedness funding.

The storm threat prompted a broader reshuffling of county business. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami moved his 2026 State of the County Address from an in-person delivery to a recorded online video released Wednesday afternoon. "I was really looking forward to delivering my eighth and final State of the County Address in person," Kawakami said. "But with the potential for severe weather beginning Tuesday and into the week, the safety of our residents, visitors and county employees has to come first. One thing we've learned over the years is how to turn lemons into lemonade, so we look forward to sharing the message with our community online." The address is available at facebook.com/CountyofKauai and at kauai.gov.

County officials warned that services and facilities could close on little or no notice depending on how the storm develops. Kuhio Highway near the Hanalei Bridge could be shut if a Flash Flood Warning is issued. Residents were advised not to trim trees, as high winds can send cut branches airborne, and to secure any debris already on the ground. Trash and debris pickup is also expected to be suspended ahead of the storm.

Goodwill Industries of Hawaii separately rescheduled its reuse collection event, originally planned for this weekend, to March 27.

Those who need an ASL interpreter, materials in an alternate format, or language assistance for the CWPP workshops should contact the Kaua'i Fire Department Prevention Bureau at 808-241-4985 or kfdpreventionbureau@kauai.gov as early as possible. General questions about the workshops can be directed to heather@hawaiiwildfire.org.