Our primary focus is expediting the construction of a dedicated second road for Waikōloa Village. Securing a second road is critical for ensuring a safe emergency exit during wildfires. 

YES! Our mission extends beyond an additional access road for Waikōloa Village. While securing a second road is critical, we recognize an additional need for a more comprehensive strategy to handle the very real wildfire risk of the village. Especially considering that more homes and more residents are being added year after year and the effects of climate change are more present now than ever.

While absolutely critical, a secondary exit from the village does not alone guarantee our community's safety from wildfires. Our approach encompasses multiple dimensions to effectively mitigate these risks, reflecting our dedication to the well-being and protection of Waikōloa Village and its residents. We also want to push for more responsible development, adequate infrastructure to support a rapidly growing community, ongoing and consistent maintenance of fuel breaks, a comprehensive community action plan, and more. 

The emergency evacuation route at the end of Hulu St. is undeniably crucial for our village's safety. We are grateful for the work done to make the road drivable for 2WD vehicles. We can all agree that something is better than nothing. 

However, it is not adequate in its current condition. This road is only wide enough for single vehicles, meaning any obstruction, whether from a medical emergency, a flat tire, or any other incident, could halt all traffic. This blockage would prevent emergency vehicles from accessing those in need and could leave numerous vehicles and residents stranded in a critical situation. Our minds go to the Lahaina victims trapped in their cars on Front Street, unable to escape due to stopped traffic on their single-exit road. 

While widening the Hulu Street evacuation route presents a viable solution, its present state is inadequate for the needs of our village's current and future population. Addressing this issue is essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of our community during emergencies.

The Waikōloa Village Homeowners Association (WVA) does not represent all residents of Waikōloa Village. The entirety of Waikōloa Village consists of at least 11 different Homeowners Associations (HOAs), each representing different community segments. Furthermore, the WVA primarily focuses on managing community amenities such as the Golf Course, Stables, and aquatic and tennis centers, which inherently limits their capacity to engage actively with local government or to advocate comprehensively for the needs of all village residents. The WVA HOA is not responsible for or able to maintain or build roads; only Hawaii County can do that. 

In contrast, Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikōloa operates with agility and serves as a unified, transparent voice for the entire community. We aim to complement and work off of the years of existing efforts by filling gaps and ensuring that all residents of Waikōloa Village have a strong advocate for their safety and well-being in the context of wildfire preparedness and response.

The issue of wildfire risk to Waikōloa Village is not new. In fact, talk to anyone who has lived in the village longer than 10+ years, and they'll probably be able to tell you about a past meeting where promises were made, studies were done, or past efforts from the community. There has been a lot of talk over the years. And yet, here we are. 

We have identified a critical problem. There is no single, central location where this valuable historical knowledge can be found. We have identified a crucial need for a single, central repository to collect all documentation about efforts and information regarding a secondary road in/out of Waikoloa village. This is also a way for all of us to easily access years of promises without action or funding to back them. We need to hold our County, State and Federal representatives accountable for the risk they have put our village in.

Please visit our ever-growing Document Repository to view all the documentation that we currently have. Have something to share and add to our resource library? Please email us and we'll happily add it. 

By seeking information, you've already taken the first step towards involvement! Raising awareness is a fundamental goal, and your interest in learning about the hazards facing Waikōloa Village is incredibly valuable. We are grateful that you're here. 

To further engage, we warmly invite you to attend our monthly community meetings held on the first Wednesday of every month in the WVA Community room. Bring a neighbor or two! Additionally, we encourage you to join our mailing list and introduce yourself. Becoming a recognized and active group member is a powerful way to contribute. We aim to make our collective voices LOUD and we need more voices to join us. We want to mobilize as many people as possible to express their concern for this critical issue. Although we are in the early stages of our advocacy, your participation could make a significant difference.

We look forward to welcoming you and working together to enhance the safety and resilience of our village.