News Center — Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization

Kauai fire crews handle brush fire that forced evacuations in Poipu

There were evacuations in Poipu yesterday afternoon due to a brushfire sparked at 3:45 pm.

From the source:

At one point, dozens of firefighters and three helicopters were working to extinguish the fire. Strong winds pushed the flames toward Koloa, though no structures were immediately threatened. With the dry brush and steady trade winds, it was enough to make residents uneasy.

“The houses down below us will be the biggest concern because a couple of years ago, a couple of houses burned from a brush fire in the same exact area coming through,” resident Aaron Hoff said.

The evacuation order for residents along Kipuka Street has since been lifted and an emergency shelter at the Koloa Neighborhood Center was set to have closed at about 9:30 p.m.  Poipu Road also reopened opened shortly after. So far there are no reports of injuries. No estimation on how many acres have burned so far.

Spark from hammer caused California's largest wildfire, agency says

The Mendocino Fire Burned for weeks before it was contained.

The Ranch Fire was Californiaʻs largest wildfire at 410,203 acres, and It was started from one tiny spark. The Mendicino Fire Complex that raged during the summer of last year was multiple fires that ignited at the same time in close proximity, heavily taxing all fire suppression resources in the area. 280 structures were destroyed in the fire complex, and the biggest fire in the dual-fire incident started due to a single spark.

From the source:

(CNN) The Ranch Fire, the largest wildfire in California history in terms of acres burned, was caused by a spark or hot metal fragment that came from a hammer driving a metal stake into the ground, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"After a meticulous and thorough investigation, CAL FIRE has determined that the Ranch Fire was caused by a spark or hot metal fragment landing in a receptive fuel bed," the news release said.

Read More about the Mendicino Fire Complex here

Firefighters Battle Multiple Fires Across O'ahu Monday

Oahu brushfires this Monday are a reminder that the dry season is underway, and the risks of wildfires are real.

From the Source:

A total of seven fire units responded to the brush fire near Kamehameha Highway and Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road.

At least four brush fires were reported in a three-hour period Monday afternoon.

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