Don’t let Maui go up in smoke.You probably make few trips on the island in which you don’t see someone in the car ahead of you flick their cigarette butt out their window. Despite warnings of drought and its consequential increased fire hazard, smokers don’t seem to be able to stop throwing caution to the wind anymore than they can kick their nicotine habit. It must be true—my Rotary club collects evidence in the form of thousands of cigarette butts each year on our adopted section of Haleakala Highway.
Recent fires in Wailea and Kihei burned hundreds of acres and caused thousands of dollars in property damage. Investigators say one of these fires may have been ignited by kids playing with lighters, but statistics reveal that many fires are started by careless smokers.
Each year, over one billion smokers throughout the world light over six trillion cigarettes, creating a potential source of ignition from cigarette butts—not to mention the lighters and matches that fall into the hands of their children. Cigarettes are one of the leading causes of residential fires in the U.S. each year, claiming an average of 1,000 lives and causing nearly 2,000 injuries and $400,000,000 in direct property damage. The Hawai‘i Fire Council reported there were 438 fires caused by cigarettes in Hawai‘i between 2001 and 2006, causing $1.5 million in property damage and resulting in 10 injuries.
Earlier this year, the governor signed a bill to require that only fire-safe cigarettes be sold in Hawai‘i starting on Oct. 1, 2009. New York was the first state to require cigarettes to meet this reduced ignition propensity (RIP) standard, which resulted in cigarette manufacturers modifying nearly all of their brands sold in the state. About 1,216 brands and styles qualify as reduced ignition cigarettes. These reduced ignition cigarettes are currently approved for sale in 10 other states.
RIP cigarettes burn at a lower temperature, reducing possible fire hazards caused by smoldering cigarettes. They are wrapped in special paper that contains a fire-retardant band that automatically extinguishes the cigarette when it burns to the band without being puffed. It is important to note that low- or reduced-ignition does not mean that no ignition will occur. Although they can help reduce accidental fires and injuries caused by smoldering cigarettes, these RIP butts are not guaranteed to be self-extinguishing, so smokers must take personal responsibility.
Maui has the potential to be exceptionally vulnerable to wild fires during this extended fire season, especially if this drought persists through the end of the year as predicted. So be careful. You couldn’t sleep at night if you thought you inadvertently caused a fire that destroyed property, homes and lives. Oh, and that driver behind you? He or she just might be “taking names.”
Anyone who sees any kind of littering in progress should call the non-emergency number for the police department (244-6400) with the license plate number of the offending vehicle. Anyone who spots suspicious smoke or a fire should call 911.