Brush fires plague
Waianae Coast

Most of the 34 blazes in the past
week have been in the region

The number of brush fires, mostly along the Waianae Coast, in the past seven days have skyrocketed to about 34, driving up the total this season to more than 200.

The first major fire of the season, which began Tuesday, burned 2,200 acres in Nanakuli Valley.

Other large fires include one near Leihoku Elementary School in Waianae that destroyed 700 acres, another near Ala Hema Street that burned 40 acres Saturday and Sunday, and the Paakea Road brush fire that blackened 10 to 15 acres Saturday.

Yesterday, about 40 firefighters continued working on hot spots in the 2,200-acre brush fire, said fire Capt. Kenison Tejada.

The Leihoku fire also flared up yesterday and a new brush fire erupted at Kulaaupuni Street in Maili.

The Fire Department's helicopter, along with two military and two private choppers hired by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Nature Conservancy continued water drops yesterday.

The Fire Department considers most of these fires as suspicious, and police are investigating leads.

Record temperatures, a continued dry spell and an abundance of brush due to a wet winter have also contributed to the fires.