KOKE‘E — Crews continued to fight high winds and dry conditions but were making progress in fighting the wildfire along the Poki‘i, Paua and Waiaka ridges in Koke‘e on Sunday. The cause of the fire that has burned roughly 2,000
KOKE‘E — Crews continued to fight high winds and dry conditions but were making progress in fighting the wildfire along the Poki‘i, Paua and Waiaka ridges in Koke‘e on Sunday.
The cause of the fire that has burned roughly 2,000 acres since Friday is still under investigation, according to a county news release.
Kaua‘i Fire Chief Robert Westerman estimated the fire as being roughly 50 percent contained at 2 p.m. Sunday. While the fire remains hundreds of acres in size, crews have now secured a perimeter around the blaze, giving them the upper hand on suppression efforts, the news release stated.
Waimea Canyon Drive reopened early Sunday afternoon but was closed again due to flare-ups in the brush fire.
Koke‘e Road remains closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles until further notice. The Kaua‘i Police Department is asking motorists to drive with caution in the area.
“We are very grateful for everyone’s support, particularly the Pacific Missile Range Facility,” said Westerman. “With the addition of their personnel and equipment, we were able to save the water pump house located on the east side of the fire. This pump house provides water to the entire Waimea community.”
Power to that pump house has since been fully restored, according to the county statement. However, there is one more tank that remained without power Sunday morning. As a precautionary measure, the water conservation request remains in effect for the Kekaha community.
Westerman has confirmed that crews from the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative will now be allowed into certain areas to inspect and repair any damage to power lines. Power to the Koke‘e area remained down and the voluntary evacuation for residents and businesses in Koke’e continued through at least Sunday.
“We are making progress in fighting the blaze, but we are in an area of very dry brush where spot fires can easily ignite,” Westerman said. “It is crucial that fires are completely extinguished before we allow people back into the area. We understand the inconvenience this has posed to our community but safety is our No. 1 priority.”
Roughly 40 personnel from multiple agencies, including Kaua‘i Fire Department, the Department of Public Works, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Pacific Missile Range Facility and private contractors continue to work together in battling the blaze that began shortly after midnight on Friday.
