A brush fire that began in Wailua Sunday was continuing to slowly climb Kalepa Ridge near Hanama‘ulu Monday, according to Mary Daubert, county public information officer. However, Kaua‘i Fire Department Chief Robert Westerman said he was hopeful that the fire
A brush fire that began in Wailua Sunday was continuing to slowly climb Kalepa Ridge near Hanama‘ulu Monday, according to Mary Daubert, county public information officer.
However, Kaua‘i Fire Department Chief Robert Westerman said he was hopeful that the fire would be contained later Monday.
“There are hot spots near the ridge that we’re working on right now,” said Westerman. “Air One (Inter-Island Helicopters) is on the scene, dumping buckets of water on these spots.
“We want to be sure that it doesn’t go over the ridge where there’s cattle.”
Reports Sunday night indicated cattle ranchers with herds on lands leased from Grove Farm and the state were concerned about their livestock when the fire began spreading swiftly Sunday evening.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
More than 400 acres of state and private lands burned as a result of the brush fire, Daubert reported.
Westerman pointed out that, since the fire migrated to state lands, officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife assumed command of the incident, and KFD fire-fighters are working in tandem with them.
“The fire is under control and does not pose a threat to any homes or structures,” Westerman said.
Yet, as of Monday afternoon, there were calls heard over the emergency-radio scanner indicating the blaze had either begun again, or was still burning.
Kaua‘i firefighters have been fighting the fire since its onset at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. While it was ablaze, nearly three-fourths of the firefighters on shift were on the scene, Daubert reported.
At 4:30 a.m. yesterday, the crew was downsized to about five firefighters.
Throughout the night, KFD firefighters were assisted by personnel from the county Department of Public Works, who cut numerous fire breaks and provided additional sources of water and fuel.
Early Monday, firefighters from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Barking Sands arrived on the scene ready to assist.
Poor visibility from the smoke, as well as traffic congestion caused by curious onlookers heading in both directions of Kuhio Highway, led to the decision by officials with the Kaua‘i Police Department to close off a segment of the highway for a period of time between South and North Leho Drive, with Leho Drive (which leads to Kaha Lani condominiums, Aloha Beach Resort-Kauai, Lydgate Park, Kamalani Playground and Kamalani Kai Bridge) being used as a detour.
