Fire crews continue work at Waiehu brush fire; containment remains at 80%
Heavy equipment was deployed to help contain a brush fire that burned about 25 acres in Waiehu mauka of Kahekili Highway near Maka’ala Drive, fire officials said in an update Thursday afternoon.
Kahekili Highway was closed from Makaʻala Drive to Waiehu Beach Road, early through late morning Thursday. Precautionary voluntary evacuations were advised and later lifted. The fire’s containment remained at 80% as of late Thursday afternoon.
No injuries or structural damage were reported.
Smoke impacted residents of Wailuku Country Estates, Puʻuohala Village and Waiehu Terrace, who were cautioned about possible evacuation. A temporary voluntary evacuation site was set up at Keōpūolani Skate Park and later closed.
Earlier, residents could see and smell smoke as the Maui Fire Department’s Air One helicopter flew in numerous water drops to douse blaze first reported at 2:17 a.m. Thursday in the area mauka of Kahekili Highway near Maka’ala Drive. As of 7:30 a.m., the fire was estimated to have burned about 19 acres.
On Thursday afternoon, residents were still being asked to avoid the area, if possible, to allow firefighters and other first responders to continue working safely. For more information, residents can monitor news reports on radio, TV and mobile devices for official information.
A water cannon mounted on a fire engine shoots a stream at a still smoldering fire in Waiehu on Thursday. PC: Maui Fire Department- Maui firefighters work amid trees and brush to put out a fire in Waiehu on Thursday. PC: Maui Fire Department
- A Maui firefighter douses a hot spot today at the base of a tree in Waiehu. PC: Maui Fire Department
- Flames and smoke rise into the sky in the early hours of a brush fire in Waiehu on Thursday morning. PC: Ty Fausett
- After picking up a load of water, the Air One helicopter turns to fly back to make another drop of water Thursday morning in Waiehu. PC: Brian Perry
- Another drop of water aims to douse flames in Waiehu on Thursday morning. PC: Brian Perry
- A Maui Fire Department Air One crew flies in to pick up a supply of water at the dead end of West Kaena Place in Waiehu. PC: Brian Perry
- Maui firefighters wait Thursday morning for a helicopter crew to pick up at load of water from a portable water supply filled from a nearby fire hydrant. PC: Brian Perry
- The Maui Fire Department’s Air One helicopter makes one of numerous water drops Thursday morning in a brush area between Kahekili Highway and the Waiehu Heights subdivision. PC: Brian Perry
- After filling a tanker with water at a nearby fire hydrant, a firefighter prepares to return to the scene of the Waiehu fire off of Kahekili Highway on Thursday morning. PC: Brian Perry
- A man on a moped talks with a Maui police officer at a roadblock at 6:15 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Kahekili Highway and Makaʻala Drive. PC: Brian Perry
- A Maui Fire Department Air One crew makes water drops shortly before 7 a.m. today in a brush area in Waiehu between Kahekili Highway and the Waiehu Heights housing subdivision. PC: Brian Perry
The department responded to the Waiehu fire with three engines, three wildland trucks, three tankers and the Air One helicopter. Three tankers from Mahi Pono and one from Alpha Construction also responded to the scene, along with two bulldozers from Alpha Construction.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency was partially activated at 4:51 a.m. Thursday.
This story has been updated from earlier posted versions.
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