VIDEO: Fire on Maui burns brush in Mac Nut fields mauka of Kahekili Hwy

By Wendy Osher (Update 6:10 a.m. 8/9/10)

Many Wailuku residents woke up to the smell of smoke this morning (Monday, August 9, 2010).  County officials have confirmed a small flare up of the 30 acre Mac Nut fire off of the Kahekili Highway at around 6 a.m today.  The fire was first reported Saturday afternoon off of Malaihi Road and came within a quarter mile of the nearest structure.  No damages or injuries were reported.

(Update 2:04 p.m. 8/8/10)

The mac nut field fire off of Malaihi Road in the Waiehu area of Wailuku was declared contained at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 7, 2010. The fire burned a total of 30 acres since it was first reported at around 1 p.m. Saturday.  Firefighters remained on scene overnight to monitor and conduct mop up operations.

Water Tankers respond to Kahekili fire in Wailuku. Photo by Wendy Osher.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAQGk2AWyMg /]  No significant flare ups were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A separate fire reported Thursday evening, August 5, near the Kehalani subdivision in Wailuku, was declared extinguished by 6:45 p.m. Saturday, August 7, 2010. The Kehalani fire burned a total of 60 acres.

No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged in either fire.

(Update: 4:45 p.m. 8/7/10; info courtesy County of Maui) The Kahekili brush fire remains in a macadamia nut field off Kahekili Highway in Wailuku, and is approximately 1/4 mile away from the nearest structure. As a precautionary measure, a fire break is being cut by bulldozers from the County of Maui Department of Public Works and Goodfellow Bros. to protect homes in the Wailuku Country Estates Subdivision.

No evacuations have been ordered, and no damage to structures has been reported.

Additional Maui Fire Department resources responding to the fire include five engines, two mini-pumper trucks, two water tanker trucks and a 5-member Wildland fire team. Water tankers trucks are also being provided by the County of Maui Department of Public Works, Goodfellow Bros. and Rojac Trucking.

“We have received huge support from these companies that jump in to assist us,” said Deputy Fire Chief Robert Shimada. “Their help makes a tremendous difference in being able to protect homes and fight these fires effectively.

No injuries have been reported and roads remain open to traffic. The burn area from yesterday’s Kehalani fire is reportedly stable; fire personnel will continue to monitor the area. There has been no significant change in the size of the burn area, and no major flareups today.

(Update: 2:59 p.m. 8/7/10)

A fire in the mac nut fields mauka of the Kahekili Highway continues to burn. The fire was first reported at around 1 p.m. in the vacant land north of the Wailuku Country Estates. As of 3 p.m., there were no evacuations and no structures in danger. Residents of the Wailuku Country Estates were seen watering their lawns and dry brush near their property to prevent the fire from spreading to their homes. The fire was well above the highway but smoke was blowing towards the lower division of the Wailuku Country Estates.

County officials say fire crews from the Wailuku, Kahului and Wailea stations are on scene now at a brush fire located in a macadamia nut field off of Malaihi Road in the Waiehu area of Wailuku. Crews are being assisted by 2 helicopters conducting water drops. No structures are threatened at this time. According to fire officials an estimated 1-2 acres have been burned and the fire is located approximately a quarter mile from the nearest structure. The cause is undetermined. No injuries are reported.

*** If you enjoyed this post, you may also like our story on a fire in the Kehalani Mauka Subdivision on Maui reported on August 5, 2010.