Unscheduled Cane Fire Burns 40 Acres

PC: Maui Fire Department

Firefighters were called to a brush fire reported near Holomua Road and Hana Highway at 3:09 p.m. on Friday July 1, 2016.

Paia firefighters arrived at 3:16 p.m. and found a 2 acre fire burning in the center of a sugar cane field on the Paia side of Holomua Road.

Maui Fire Service Chief Edward Taomoto said strong 20 to 25 mph trade winds fanned flames that were spreading the fire swiftly towards homes on Holua Place and Ulumaika Place.

PC: Maui Fire Department

Eighteen firefighters responded to the scene and worked with personnel from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. to extinguish the fire, which has been confirmed to be an unscheduled fire.

The fire was contained to sugar cane fields and is estimated to have charred around 40 acres, according to department reports.

Air 1 was also called in to conduct water drops to help stop the fire from spreading towards homes downwind.

HC&S personnel with bulldozers cut fire breaks while HC&S water tankers wet down the surrounding areas.

The cause of the unplanned cane fire is undetermined. No evacuations took place.

FSC Taomoto said the fire did not get closer than 100 yards from the nearest structure. No injuries were reported.

The fire has not yet been called extinguished. All fire units have since left the scene and HC&S personnel has taken over and will be working to fully extinguish the fire.

Three fire engines, three water tankers, and a hazardous materials crew from Paia, Makawao, Wailea, and Kahului responded to the fire.