Heavy Smoke Arises from Smoldering Cane Grass Fire

Photo by Wendy Osher.

Firefighters are unsure what caused a smoldering cane grass fire in Haʻikū on Thursday afternoon.

Crews responded to multiple reports of heavy smoke below the Hāna Highway in the area of Peʻahi Farms at around 12:37 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, to find a small strip of cane grass on fire near Kai Poʻi Loop.

A passing helicopter also saw the smoke and reported it to air traffic controllers, who called it in.

Pāʻia firefighters arrived on scene at 12:52 p.m. to find a 75 x 300 foot strip of cane grass on fire.

A person mowing in a nearby field said they had just cut the area the day before, and didn’t know how the fire could have started, according to fire officials.

The fire was brought under control at 1:50 p.m. and called extinguished at 2:10 p.m.