Statewide flames force crews into OT

Brush fires raging across the state have pushed fire departments to their limits.

On Oahu, firefighters fought three major brush fires, a 50-acre blaze on Waahila Ridge near the University of Hawaii and two Iroquois Point fires a mile apart, one between 80 and 100 acres and a 10-acre blaze. The department said one out of three firefighters on duty were out fighting fires at one point yesterday.

On the Big Island, firefighters have been working additional shifts to cover the numerous fires ravaging the island.

Maui and Kauai firefighters were also battling blazes or mopping up after other large brush fires.

Brush fires across the state have been stretching some firefighting resources thin.

On the Big Island, where wildfires are hundreds to thousands of acres in size, firefighters are toughing it out.

"We've been working steady, 24/7, all the way through," said Hawaii County Fire Deputy Chief Glen Honda.

"Our guys are holding up," he said. "They're putting out a lot of energy. Guys are coming back on recall to help fight these fires."

Big Island firefighters were fighting three major brush fires yesterday, including a 139-acre blaze in North Kohala at the 8-mile marker on Akoni Pule Highway. Kauai firefighters battled three brush fires while Oahu firefighters also contended with three brush fires yesterday.

The toughest this season has been the 9,000-acre Waikoloa wildfire that started Sunday.

"A lot of effort was put into that because of the homes involved and how close it was to the village," Honda said. "Size itself makes it difficult logistically to get that wrapped up."

Firefighters normally working a three-day shift are being called back for another 24-hour shift on their four days off, Honda said.

But firefighters continue to take their rehab breaks while fighting fires, to make sure they are fed and rehydrated, he said.

Some will take turns sleeping when on night watch during 24-hour, round-the-clock watches on these fires, Honda said.

Maui fire officials are still trying to catch their breath after a week with two major brush fires in West Maui and succeeding smaller ones throughout the Valley Isle.

Maui County spokeswoman Mahina Martin said fire officials were still assessing the cost of manpower to fight the two major brush fires: some 180 acres in Lahaina and 2,600 acres between Olowalu and Launiupoko.

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Three major brush fires, including an 80- to 100-acre blaze at Iroquois Point and a 50-acre one at Waahila Ridge, caused the Honolulu Fire Department's staffing to reach Level 2, meaning a third of the firefighters on duty were in the field.

"There's not a lot of reserve to support additional resources at a big alarm," said Capt. Terry Seelig.

Firefighters don 15 to 20 pounds of heavy fire-resistant jackets and pants, helmet and gloves, as well as steel-shank, steel-toe boots. While protecting from the heat of the brush fires, they are hot to wear both from the fire heat and under the summer sun, Seelig said.

Firefighters pulled heavy hoses up and down the steep, rocky sides of Waahila Ridge near the University of Hawaii at Manoa yesterday to douse a 50-acre blaze where a brush fire burned overnight. The Waahila Faculty Apartments were evacuated yesterday afternoon, but occupants were allowed to return.

One firefighter was treated for heat-related stress and taken to an area hospital, Seelig said.

The Waahila fire had burned five acres overnight, another 15 acres yesterday morning and an additional 50 acres yesterday afternoon.

At Iroquois Point two brush fires a mile apart burned 10 acres at one site and between 80 to 100 acres at another.

Firefighters across Kauai have been fighting fires seemingly every day for a couple of weeks.

But Kauai Fire Chief Robert Westerman said yesterday, Kauai firefighters have "been pretty lucky, actually."

While the brush fires have been numerous, they have been contained within a few hours, allowing crews to get food and rest after nightfall. It is the multiday operations, Westerman said, that really stretch a fire and rescue crew.

Still, Thursday was a difficult one, with three large fires having crews "running all over the place," the chief added.

A 5-acre brush fire at the Kauai Lagoons yesterday morning is believed to have been started by five boys, one of whom admitted to setting off fireworks at around 11:24 a.m.

The Hawaii County Fire Department got help from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Department of Land and Natural Resources), Pohakuloa Training Area fire department, county civil defense and county Department of Public Works and private companies, which provided bulldozers to cut fire lines.

Honda said fire officials suspect some of the fires might have been intentionally set, because of the locations and the number of fires, and urged the public to be vigilant and report suspicious behavior.

A 2-acre brush fire near homes at Puakea Ranch in North Kohala was reportedly ignited by a spark from a lawn mower, he said.

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