By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Roberta Afong cleans up ashes in front of her Waipio Gentry home this morning.

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Smoke blankets
Central Oahu

An overnight brush fire burns three
square miles of vegetation

By Rod Ohira and Jaymes Song
Star-Bulletin

Ash fell on Central Oahu this morning, the result of a raging brush fire that started yesterday afternoon. Several Waipio Gentry residents spent the morning sweeping their lanais, washing their cars and spraying driveways because of the ash.

"It's frustrating," said resident Craig Barretto, who was washing his Chevrolet Blazer. "I'm trying to clean my car, but it's still coming down."

No serious injuries were reported. One person was treated and released from Pali Momi Hospital.

Firefighters spent the night battling the blaze on the mauka side of Ka Uka Boulevard in Waiawa.

As of 7 a.m., the blaze had died down considerably and the heavy smoke had dissipated. Two military helicopters were left dumping ocean water on the smoldering areas.

Fire officials and health professionals warned that people with breathing problems should avoid the dense smoke and seek medical treatment.

Resident Roberta Afong was not worried much about the fire, but she was concerned about the health of her 10-year-old son.

Afong's son Andrew was congested and coughed repeatedly last night when smoke inundated their Pokeo Street home.

"Smoke and ashes were just all over," said Afong, who was airing out her home this morning. "So I took Andrew into the bedroom and turned on the A.C."

Andrew, who has severe lung problems, recovered and was able to attend school this morning. Afong still plans to take him to a doctor.

Afong said her neighbors were frolicking in the ash that fell like snowflakes. The children were biking up and down the street and the adults were out with their video cameras.

"You could see neighbors you never have seen before," she said. "It was very interesting."

Shortly before midnight, acting Assistant Chief Alvin Tomita said variable winds yesterday spread the fire in different directions.

Sixteen Honolulu Fire Department companies and four federal units, representing a total of 62 firefighters, were positioned along the perimeter of the fire, which was burning through three square miles of ironwood and eucalyptus trees and tall California grass.

The northbound lanes of the H-2 freeway were within reach of the flames to the south, while to the west, the fire had moved to a half mile of the Waiawa Correctional Facility.

Police closed, and later reopened, several lanes of the H-2 early this morning.

City buses were standing by last night to evacuate 274 inmates and 20 staff from the Waiawa facility.

Acting Warden Frannie Watkins said all the educational and religious programs were canceled, and the inmates were required to stay inside.

At one point, the road leading to the prison was blocked off while flames jumped the road.

Battalion Chief Eddie Amina, who is familiar with the Waiawa terrain, reported back to Tomita at 11 p.m. after assessing the fire from Pacific Palisades.

"We're fighting fingers and not reaching the head," Amina said. "It's a fire within a fire."

Another brush fire in the same area forced officials to close the H-2 freeway near the Ka Uka offramp for about 30 minutes due to poor visibility.

"We don't get too many brush fires in this area but when we do, they're biggies," Onato said.

Yesterday's fire started about a half-mile below the front entrance to the Waiawa facility and became what firefighters call "a runner."

"The high winds just blew it out," said Acting Capt. Bob Damaso of the Pearl City company that responded to the first alarm.