Honoka'a Information Update for September 1st, 2020

Slow-moving brush Fire burns along Highway 240 near Kukuihaele Monday evening (August 31st).

Published by: HIRSC - Hawaii Island (Holualoa) Team

info@hiradioscannercommunity.com

The Hawaii Fire Department (HFD) and the Hawaii Police Department (HPD) responded to a report of a brush fire along Highway 240 (Honoka'a-Waipio Road) near Kukuihaele, Hamakua Monday evening (August 31st).

The initial call came in at 6:08 pm Monday evening and HFD crews from the Honoka'a, Laupahoehoe, Waimea, Central (Tanker 1) Fire Stations along with Battalion 1 and HPD officers from the Hamakua Patrol responded to the scene located at the 7-mile marker on Highway 240 near Kukuihaele.

Upon the arrival of emergency crews, reports came in from bystanders reporting smoke was visible from the mauka side of Highway 240 near the 7-mile marker and the fire had appeared to be smoldering and moving slowly within the eucalyptus forest.

Once emergency crews arrived at the scene, HFD crews found a large smoldering brush fire burning on the floor of the eucalyptus forest and encountered the following challenges with this brush fire:

• Due to limited access to the brush fire, HFD ground crews had to utilize 4x4 vehicles to access the seed of the brush fire to begin containment and extinguishment of hot spots. A privately contracted bulldozer arrived at the scene later on Monday evening and began cutting a fire break around the perimeter of the fire allow crews to gain control of the slow-moving fire.

• Due to the limited water supply source in the area, Tanker 1 from Central Fire Station responded to the scene to shuttle water to the scene from a water supply source down the road in Kukuihaele.

The weather in the area was calm winds and the fire was moving further mauka (mountainside) within the eucalyptus forest. At last check, the fire burned approximately 10+ acres and was no threat to any structures in the area. Also, no injuries were reported from this incident.