15 acres of brush burn near Nawiliwili Road

NIUMALU — Jodi Gardner, a resident at Niumalu, said when she got up Sunday morning, the sky was red.

“I heard popping sounds and that was what woke me,” she said. “I looked out the window and the sky was red from the fire.”

A fire which broke out at approximately 5:30 a.m. scorched nearly 15 acres of brush near Nawiliwili Road, states a county release.

“The fire department got here about 5:45,” Gardner said. “They evacuated Judith Webb whose home is right near where the fire was going. The fire trucks went up her driveway and had water going from the area behind her house to protect it.”

According to the county, no homes or structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported at the blaze which was deemed under control shortly after 7 a.m.

Firefighters from Lihue, Kapaa and Kalaheo were assisted by Rescue 3 aboard Air 1 in gaining control of the blaze.

Niumalu Road between Waapa Road and Nawiliwili Road was closed from 5:45 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. to allow crews access to the scene.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.