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Operation Hoʻopauahi, which can be translated to “extinguish fire,” brought faster response time and extra assistance to the wildfires that have hit the islands this wildfire season. Governor Josh Green, M.D., Commander in Chief of the Hawai‘i National Guard, signed an emergency proclamation on July 18, 2025, authorizing the Hawai‘i Army National Guard (HIARNG), to keep an aircrew ready to provide aerial firefighting capabilities to augment county and state level first responder elements. The proclamation stayed in effect until Nov. 30, which allowed for maximum flexibility in the use of state resources to respond to wildfires.
“Operation Hoʻopauahi exemplifies the Hawaiʻi National Guard anticipating a need and then being there to support it. The Guard is Always Ready, Always There,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Adjutant General of the Hawaiʻi National Guard.
Guardsmen from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment; Company C, 1st Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment; Detachment 1, Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment; Detachment 1, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment and Company B, 777th Aviation Support Company provided aircrew, maintainers, and operations for the All Hazard Response Force to extinguish fires. The All Hazard Response Force utilized their assets including the CH-47F, UH-60M and HH-60M helicopters which are based out of Wheeler Army Airfield, Kalaeloa Airport (both located on Oahu) and Hilo Airport (located on the Big Island) to conduct water drops.
This year was the first time dedicated aircrews had stood ready, awaiting the call for support. Operation Hoʻopauahi may become an annual mission for the HIARNG as long as the threat of wildfires continue. “Contributing made me feel honored and proud to protect my home and communities,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nyles Nakama, a CH-47F Pilot from the All Hazard Response Force. “I am thankful to be involved with the mission and appreciate this opportunity to fulfill my passion of serving my state and country.”
Over the course of five months, aircraft, personnel and equipment maintained a posture allowing for immediate response time of one hour from any of the three Army Aviation Support Facilities throughout the state. During four and a half months of Operation Hoʻopauahi four requests for assistance were executed in response to vegetation/brush fires with the potential of causing significant damage to local infrastructure and displacement of people.
During this years’ operations a total of 105.4 hours were flown, and 283,908 gallons of water were dropped between all four fires.
Nakama credits training with giving the aircrew the confidence and proficiency to perform. “Water bucket, firefighting operations from the air is very complex, requiring detailed planning and coordination,” he said. “Safe and efficient operations are a result of training and is expected from HIARNG Guardsmen.”
The November Mana Rd. wildfire saw the HIARNG partnering with the Active Duty 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawai‘i to support efforts to combat the vegetation fire burning on the slopes of Mauna Kea by providing fueling operations at its Forward Air Refueling Point; this option helped to save time during the refueling process, allowing for quicker response time on fire suppression operations.
Together the HIARNG and U.S. Army were able to support the community and reaffirm their commitment to serve the people of Hawai‘i in times of need.
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2025 19:23 |
| Story ID: | 554481 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operation Hoʻopauahi, by Rachel Blaire, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
