Great to see amazing cooperation among our first response agencies who are putting their lives at stake to control a number of simultaneous wildfires in the Puu Anahulu area. Mahalo for all of their hard work and dedication!
Please report any suspicious activity to 911. Also please follow roadblock instructions from HPD personnel. Mahalo for your kokua and stay safe.
"Several fires broke out above Highway 190 near mile markers 17 and 18 and its intersection with the Daniel K. Inouye Highway Thursday. (Rick Winters/West Hawaii Today)"
"Firefighters continued to battle multiple “suspicious” brush fires in South Kohala and North Kona that had consumed more than 300 acres as of Thursday evening.
Hawaii Fire Department Battalion Chief Gantry Andrade told West Hawaii Today that officials considered the fires “suspicious.” All of the fires were reported shortly before 4 p.m. in dry brush and fountain grass near major roadways in the vicinity of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway.
“It’s unlikely multiple fires would start in multiple locations at the same time,” he said. Hawaii Fire Department investigators were on the scene and looking into the cause of the blaze as of press time."
"Luckily, wind conditions were in firefighters’ favor throughout the afternoon and evening with mild winds blowing out of the northeast that allowed crews to keep the fire from growing larger, he said.
An array of firefighters remained at the scenes of the fires as of press time, including state, county, volunteer and federal assets. During daylight hours, the firefighters were assisted by two Hawaii County helicopters performing water drops."