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Arson is suspected
in Mililani brush fire
The 250-acre blaze does not
threaten any homes, but gets
close to a golf course
Fire officials suspect a brush fire that consumed a portion of the Mililani Agricultural Park yesterday was intentionally set.
The fire only added to the workload, burning near an area that had been scorched by another fire Wednesday, which also flared up again yesterday, Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Kenison Tejada said.
On Wednesday the two fires spread from the agricultural park to the Waikele Stream ravine, formerly known as the Waikele Branch of Naval Magazine Lualualei. In all about 250 acres burned.
The flare-ups also brought the flames to the edge of Royal Kunia Golf Course, but homes in the Royal Kunia subdivision were not threatened, Tejada said.
Between 50 and 60 firefighters and a city and a military helicopter worked to douse the blaze.
"When it is smoldering, the smoke dissipates and there's nothing visual," Tejada said.
Only after winds fan the smoldering embers do flames start to kick up and become visible, he said.
"That's how stubborn these are," said Tejada, whose firefighters have been challenged by the steep terrain.
"That's one of our biggest challenges," he said. "It's hard to get any kind of a foothold."
Meanwhile, about 24 fire personnel and a Fire Department helicopter continued mopping up the 2,800-acre Nanakuli brush fire, the largest of the season so far.
"This is the tedious part of our work -- just going back, making sure it's all out," Tejada said.
Fire officials had called that fire 95 percent contained on Wednesday, and it remained at that level yesterday.
But the blaze, which started Sunday, flared up Wednesday night along Palehua Ridge near Camp Timberline. The fire did not reach the camp nor the homes along the ridge.
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