LIHU‘E — Wednesday is summer solstice, the longest day of the year, officially opening up the summer. But even before Hawai‘i’s hottest season began, a string of brushfires has scorched Kaua‘i. On Thursday, at about 12:40 p.m., the Hanalei fire
LIHU‘E — Wednesday is summer solstice, the longest day of the year, officially opening up the summer. But even before Hawai‘i’s hottest season began, a string of brushfires has scorched Kaua‘i.
On Thursday, at about 12:40 p.m., the Hanalei fire crew responded to a brushfire in Lumaha‘i, which burned about one acre, according to county officials.
“Firefighters arrived to the scene within ten minutes of the call,” county spokeswoman Sarah Blane said in press release Friday. “Faced with steep terrain and limited water supply in the area, Engine 1, Trucks 1 and 2, Rescue 3 personnel and Air 1 fought the fire until 3 p.m., when the fire was deemed fully extinguished.”
It was the third brushfire in that area in less than a week.
On Monday, firefighters put out a fire on the same North Shore location, and on Wednesday night, firefighters again responded to a fire in Lumaha‘i. All the fires were nearby, and county officials are looking into a possible criminal activity.
“Fire officials now suspect all three Lumaha‘i fires reported this week were intentionally set,” Blane said.
Also on Thursday, firefigthers responded to a call at 3:11 p.m. in Anahola. Upon arriving at the scene, they found two blazes burning approximately 500 yards apart, just south of Anahola Homestead residences.
“Roughly 20 to 30 acres burned in the Anahola fires, but the homes were not damaged,” said Blane, adding that Engine 3, Trucks 2 and 8, along with Rescue 3 personnel and Air 1 had the fire under control by 6:30 p.m.
On Monday a brushfire in Koke‘e burned an area roughly 30 feet by 75 feet. Although the fire may not have been a large one, firefigthers had to hike about a fourth of a mile to the remote area where the fire broke, and were assisted with Air 1 water drops.
It was the third fire that broke on the Westide in recent days. On Monday a fire also broke in Hanapepe Valley. Farmers had been clearing land and burning debris when the fire spread beyond their working area and burned about a quarter-acre before it was put out by firefighters.
On May 28, a fire broke on state land in the Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve on Miloli‘i Ridge, six miles southwest of Koke‘e State Park. It was initially reported that the fire burned four acres, but two days later the fire had grown to 40 acres. It took state fire crews, with the help of Kaua‘i Fire Department, more than 10 days to put out the fire, which at the end had burned roughly 200 acres.
Besides all the brushfires, firefighters also put out a fire that broke out Monday night at a car dealership in Lihu‘e’s industrial district, and performed rescue in Wailua’s Secret Falls.
The Kaua‘i Police Department has been called to assist with an investigation of possible criminal fires at Lumaha‘i.
“Anyone with information on the Lumaha’i brush fires is asked to contact Police Dispatch at 241-1711 or CrimeStoppers, 241-1887.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
