Brush fires
burning budget

Helicopter operations alone have
run past $23,000 to fight fires
believed purposely set

CLARIFICATION Wednesday, May 18, 2005 » Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Kenison Tejada said it costs $325 an hour to operate the HFD's Air One helicopter. In a Page A3 article Monday , a statement that it cost the city more than $23,000 to operate Air One to battle the Nanakuli brush fire was incorrectly attributed to Tejada. The $23,000 figure came from multiplying $325 by the six days that HFD had been fighting the fire at an estimated 12 hours a day. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

A stubborn brush fire in Nanakuli that has been burning for nearly a week is expected to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars by the time it's finally extinguished.

And several smaller brush fires during the weekend have added to the total cost.

Just operating Air One helicopter has cost the city more than $23,000, said Capt. Kenison Tejada, a spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department. Air One has been in the air about 12 hours a day since the fire started on Tuesday. It costs $325 an hour to operate.

There were no total cost estimates for battling the brush fires this early in the fire season, but on Saturday night alone, 22 engines -- about half of the Honolulu Fire Department's total -- responded to brush fires on the Leeward Coast. That left 20 engines to cover the rest of Oahu. On that night, strong winds caused the Nanakuli fire to flare up after fire officials had brought it under control a day earlier.

By yesterday, the fire had burned about 2,200 acres of brush, and firefighters will return to the area today should any more flare-ups occur.

Tejada also noted that the fires have disrupted the Waianae community, closing schools, displacing people and forcing many employees to leave work early.

The wind has made it difficult for helicopters to drop water on the flames, but four helicopters -- two from the military, one from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and another from the Honolulu Fire Department -- dropped water on stubborn areas above Nanakuli High and Intermediate school. About 50 firefighters and five tankers battled the fire on the ground.

Pauline Sato, the Nature Conservancy's Oahu program director, monitored the brush fire from the school. She said the Honouliuli Preserve, which is managed by the Nature Conservancy, was not threatened.

"Even though it didn't get into the preserve, doesn't mean the situation is good. It could be bad the next time," Sato said, adding that they might start to clear grassy areas as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, fire officials believe someone may have started the fires on the Leeward Coast this weekend.

"With the frequency and time intervals (of the brush fires), it leads officials to believe the fires were intentionally set," Tejada said.

A fire burned 30 to 40 acres of brush near Ala Hema Street at 12:05 a.m. yesterday. Eleven engines and four tankers responded. Tejada said the fire came to within 100 to 200 yards of homes. Firefighters had it under control at 3:18 a.m. There were no reports of injuries.

Two other brush fires occurred Saturday. One consumed 400 acres near Leihoku Elementary School in Waianae at 7:33 p.m. It was under control by 11:27 p.m.

Sixteen engines and four tankers responded to the fire near the elementary school. More than 20 federal firefighters equipped with tankers and trucks also assisted city firefighters.

Two hours after that fire was reported, firefighters responded to another brush fire close to the elementary school, near Hakimo and Paakea Roads, at 9:43 p.m. Tejada said six engines responded to that fire, which scorched about 10 acres. He noted that a witness saw a man leaving the area where the fire started.