Isle firefighter active
in California
A firefighter from the National Park Service in Hawaii is helping fight the "Grand Prix" fire in the San Bernardino National Forest, according to Jack Minassian, Pacific Islands fire management officer.
Claudette Moreno was in Reno, Nev., last week attending a conference when she was dispatched, he said.
She is one of six firefighters on permanent staff with the U.S. Park Service in Hawaii. Another 150 federal firefighters in the Pacific Island cluster hold other jobs and can be called up as needed.
"I don't know if there's going to be a mobilization," Minassian said. "We'll have to wait and see. Right now, they're looking for engines, which makes it hard for Hawaii folks.
"We may be sending over some overhead (management positions) or crews, but it's hard to say at this time," he said.
The fires delayed flights to Honolulu from Los Angeles yesterday and Sunday.
Airlines affected included United, American, Hawaiian, Aloha, Continental and Delta, as well as United Parcel Service, according to Toby Wakumoto, information specialist for the state Department of Transportation. The longest delay was more than four hours.
The fires also threatened to delay trans-Pacific mail service.
"We don't know which way the Santa Ana winds are going to blow," said Marc Dixon, of the U.S. Postal Service. "We can't offer the same guarantee that we normally would offer."
