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By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Firemen Alika Akiona, left, and Duane Anduha, both
from the Waiau Fire Station in Pearl City, eat dinner
at the command center at the Del Monte plant off
Kunia Road after fighting the Kunia brush fire
all day and into the night.

Hot spots hold
fire crews at
brush blaze

The fire, which started yesterday
near the Wheeler Army Air Field,
flares up again today and
water drops continue

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By Jaymes Song
Star-Bulletin

Dozens of federal and city firefighters were stomping through think forest and brush in Central Oahu today, extinguishing several flare ups left from a large wildfire that has consumed 100 acres.

Fire helicopters reported the perimeter of the blaze has been contained, but several hot spots were still visible this morning in gulleys and areas difficult to reach, said Honolulu Fire Capt. Richard Soo.

The fire began near the Wheeler Army Air Field horse stables on the Mililani side at 12:45 p.m. yesterday and quickly spread to Kunia. It was contained by 7 p.m.

Today, three helicopters were aiding the firefighters on foot by dropping thousands of gallons of water on the hot spots. The drops were to continue throughout the day.

Firefighters battle the blaze, retreat to allow water to be dropped, then advance again.

"You fight, fall back, you drop. You fight, fall back, you drop," said Battalion Chief Keith Williams of the Honolulu Fire Department. "That much falling water makes it a little more dangerous Do you know how much 2,000 gallons of water weighs? Sixteen thousand pounds."

The blaze scorched acres of Del Monte pineapple fields and forest land loaded with obstacles such as deep gulches and tall ironwood trees.

No homes or structures were threatened. But it did get within a quarter mile of Mililani Pinnacle homes and close to the Wheeler stables, where 17 horses were housed. The horses were moved to safety.

Capt. Harryson Nicholas from Honolulu Engine Co. 31, Kalihi Kai, was fighting the fire in a ravine when he fell. He cut and bruised his face and sprained a thigh. He was treated at the scene and taken to St. Francis-West Hospital and released last night, Soo said.

A federal firefighter reinjured a previously sprained ankle and was treated at the scene, said Assistant Chief Bryan Nakasone of the Federal Fire Department.

"We had difficulty with the terrain and winds," said Operations Chief John Coe of the Honolulu Fire Department.

The worst elements of this brush fire were the trees, gulches, winds and hot, dry conditions. "This one had a lot of tall trees. You have to rely on manpower to get down on the ground to fight it," Williams said.

The cause is under investigation.

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Star-Bulletin reporters Lori Tighe and
Rod Ohira contributed to this report.