Small Brush Fires Impact Traffic Along Haleakala Highway

File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

(Update: 5:28 p.m. 7/2/12)

Several brush fires were reported on Maui yesterday. A couple of afternoon brush fires briefly impacted traffic along the Haleakala Highway just mauka of the Hana Highway intersection.

One of the fires burned an area of dry brush about 200 yards long by 15 feet and another 20 acres of sugar cane.

A nearby fire charred a smaller 10 by 10 foot area of brush about a mile above the first incident. Damage estimates were not immediately available. The cause of the fires are undetermined.

A separate fire in Kahikinui along the south western slope of Haleakala burned about 3 acres yesterday afternoon. The incident was reported near mile post 26 of the Piilani Highway at around 4:30 p.m.

(Posted: 12:50 p.m. 7/2/12)

Traffic Advisory: 12:50 p.m. 7/2/12, Motorists traveling on the Haleakala Highway are advised of a slow down in traffic due to a couple of small fires in an area of cane and brush alongside the road.  The incidents were reported along the Haleakala Hwy between the Hana Hwy and Firebreak Road.  Fire crews were conducting mop-up operations at last report.  Motorists can expect a delay in travel as traffic resumes its normal flow.