By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Firefighters battle a brush fire in Lualualei today.
New battles for
Leeward firefighters
Brush fires this morning
By Rod Ohira
and last night top off their
long weekend
Star-BulletinAcres of scorched mountainside in Nanakuli are testimony to the latest fight in the brush for Honolulu's busy firefighters. Twenty fire companies were still battling the fire at midmorning today at Ulei Loop between Haleakala Avenue and Helelua Street.
"There was a threat early on to homes when it was coming down, but not at the moment," Assistant Chief Henry Kaalekahi said.
Firefighters battled a blaze in the same area last night. The second fire, which Kaalekahi believes was set deliberately, was reported at 3 a.m.
"We haven't seen too many fires in the valley during the four years we've been here," said Richard Hovinen, who lives at 1009 Haleakala Ave.
Since Thursday's 50-acre brush fire in Makakilo, which took seven hours and 27 minutes to extinguish, firefighters have been involved in seven firefights in the brush on the Leeward Coast.
Including today's fire, firefighters have spent more than 15 hours battling Waianae Coast brush fires since Friday.
"What happens is we have to relocate companies to cover and it spreads us thin over the entire island," Battalion Chief Kent Hamasaki of the Fire Department Communications Bureau said.
Kaalekahi said the department recently started a program to stress fire safety on the Leeward Coast.
"In this area, (starting) brush fires are a tradition for some," Kaalekahi said.
"We hope to change some attitudes."
