Five Separate Brush Fires on Molokaʻi Suspicious

Maui Fire. File photo by Wendy Osher.

Molokaʻi firefighters responded to five separate brush fires, all around 200 to 300 yards apart, along the Maunaloa Highway at 5:41 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016.

Maui fire officials called the fires suspicious in nature, but say it is unclear how they may have started, and the cause remains under investigation.

At 5:47 p.m., Kaunakakai fire crews were on scene of the first fire near the Seventh Day Adventist Church, across of Ulili Street. Fire crews encountered four other brush fires along the east side of Maunaloa Highway, with the fifth fire located about one mile up the highway near Kamakou Forest Preserve Road.

The largest of the fires was 20 x 50 feet. Two of the fires were brought under control by passing motorists.

All five fires were fully extinguished by the time crews left the scene at around 6:30 p.m.

Two engines and two water tankers from Kaunakakai and Hoʻolehua responded to the incident.