Small Brush Fires Quickly Doused Along Mokulele

Mokulele Highway median fire, May 16, 2013. Photo courtesy Arnelle Diego.

By Wendy Osher

Firefighters on Maui quickly doused a brush fire that burned two small areas of grass along the Mokulele Highway, officials confirmed.

The incident was reported at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, about a half-mile south of the Maui Human Society, said Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga.

According to FS Chief Mainaga, the incident included a 150-foot by 15-foot area in the median of the highway, and a second 100-foot by 5-foot area on the west side shoulder of the Kīhei bound lane.

“Fire crews quickly brought the fire under control and extinguished the fire by 1:48 p.m.,” said FS Chief Maingaga.

The cause of the fires was undetermined and impacted traffic in the area for about a half-hour, authorities said.

Units dispatched to the scene reportedly included the Maui Fire Department’s Engine-6, Engine -10, and Tanker-10.