Electrical Arc Suspected Cause of Mahinahina Fire

The fire was located mauka of the Kapalua Airport. File photo by Wendy Osher.

A brush fire above the Kapalua Airport in West Maui on Sunday night is believed to have started from an electrical arc on a power line, according to Maui fire officials.

The fire was reported at 7:02 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, following reports of white smoke seen above the airport.

Nāpili firefighters arrived on scene 10 minutes later and spotted a small plume of smoke coming from a field about a half-mile above the airport.

Crews accessed a dirt road and found brush on fire directly under a Maui Electric power line, which was next to an electrical sub-station.

Firefighters brought the 20 x 150 foot fire under control at 7:26 p.m. and extinguished it at 7:50 p.m.

The cause of the fire was inconclusive, but is believed to have started from an electrical arc on the power line above the burned area, according to Maui fire officials.

The only damages was a wooden power pole that sustained significant charring. No power outages were reported in the area.

An engine and water tanker from Lahaina also responded to the incident.