Haleakalā Brush Fire ‘Contained’
The brush fire that started off the side of Haleakalā Highway, then spread to a fallow sugar cane field on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, 2017, has been contained.
Fire crews deemed the blaze that scorched 100 acres was 100% contained at 2:03 a.m. early Friday morning.
Two engine companies and two water tankers were mopping up the area Friday into the afternoon.
Crews will continue to monitor the area for hot spots before officially calling it extinguished.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
The fire was reported at 3:56 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, by multiple motorists driving on Haleakalā Highway.
It was reported as a small fire starting up in the grass off the south shoulder of Haleakalā Highway, then spread rapidly into the fallow sugar cane fields by gusty trade wind conditions.
By the time Kahului firefighters arrived at 4:04 p.m., the fire already consumed 2 to 3 acres and could not be contained.
Fortunately, the blaze did not affect afternoon “pau hana” traffic on Haleakalā Highway, since prevailing trades kept the smoke away from the highway.
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