13-year-old arrested
in Nanakuli brush fire

Police arrested a 13-year-old Leeward Coast boy yesterday morning suspected of starting the six-day Nanakuli Valley fire that spread into Lualualei Valley and charred nearly 3,000 acres.

The teen was arrested at 11:45 a.m. yesterday on suspicion of second-degree criminal property damage, a Class C felony, and was later released to his parents.

Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa and Honolulu Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi held a news conference yesterday to announce the arrest to assure the public the sole suspect in the case had been caught and to thank the public for their assistance.

The boy "was observed at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday (May 10) bending over and starting the fire around the area or near the area of Nanakuli Cemetery," Correa said. "The witness, who picked the individual out later in a photo lineup, said there was a flash."

Police have no other suspects. "We're fairly sure just one person is involved in this fire," he said. Authorities are unsure whether the suspect may be involved in the numerous other brush fires along the Waianae Coast and declined to comment on whether they had any other suspects.

The fire, which is the first major one this season, threatened homes, schools, and rare native animal and plant life.

Correa said the suspect could be charged with a higher offense or tried as an adult. If convicted, the teen could be held at a juvenile facility until he reaches 18 years of age.

If tried as an adult, a Class C felony is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Police have started to increase surveillance in the area to ensure the arsonists will stop.

Correa warned against retaliation.

"We got some feedback the residents were very upset, and there was going to be a vigilante group going out," Correa said. "We're telling the residents: Wait, we caught the individual. We're confident that this is the individual and the jury's not out yet, but relax, stay calm."

Neddie Waiamau-Nunuha, a Waianae Coast Neighborhood Board member interviewed by telephone after the news conference, said the suspect needs to be punished, but thinks community service and education, and not a detention facility, is the answer.

The 67-year-old lifetime Nanakuli resident said she's never seen a fire that lasted so long. "Our place was covered with ashes -- our cars, our house, everything," she said.

Waianae resident Albert Silva said he believes stands of iliahi, or native sandalwood, in Nanakuli Valley and the adjoining valley were destroyed in the fire, as well as the kiawe that serves as firewood for imus.

At the news conference, Leonardi said firefighters fought the fire for six days in rough and dangerous terrain, resulting in several injuries and damage to equipment.

On Saturday, four fires were burning in three valleys. "We really stretched our resources. We had 22 fire companies at the scene at one time -- half our resources," he said.

He said that if another fire had broken out elsewhere on the island, the Fire Department would have had to call in off-duty firefighters.

Anyone with information on suspects responsible for the other fires is asked to call police.