Suspicious Fire Blackens 5 Acres Near Kapalua Airport

Maui firefighters doused a five acre fire near the Kapalua Airport on Monday afternoon, and deemed the incident suspicious.

Crews responded to a report of smoke seen in the hills above Honokōwai shortly at 6:38 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2017.

Upon arrival, Lahaina firefighters located two separate brush fires a half-mile south of the airport, and about a mile mauka of the Honoapiʻilani Highway. The fires were burning about 100 yards apart along a dirt road leading to the Mahinahina Water Treatment Facility.

Maui Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said ground and air crews worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading upslope towards forested land and from crossing an access road to the south.

The fire was contained at 8 p.m. and was called extinguished at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.

There were no injuries and no structures were threatened.

Three engine companies and two water tankers from Nāpili, Lahaina, Kīhei, Wailuku and Kahului responded to the incident.