A 60-acre wildfire on the slopes of Koko Crater on Saturday burned close to houses, impeded traffic and forced the evacuation of two dozen animals from a stable.

It was the second of two fires that burned just hours apart in the same vicinity.

The first fire started at about 8:40 a.m. across the street from Sandy Beach Park, on the Hanauma Bay side of the wastewater plant, Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins said. About 16 firefighters responded and brought the roughly 1-acre fire under control about half an hour later.

Police closed Kalanianaole Highway in both directions while firefighters extinguished the fire and rerouted traffic through Sandy Beach Park and onto Kealahou Street. The road was reopened at about 11 a.m.

At 12:34 p.m., firefighters were sent back to the area for what appeared to be a flare-up of the first fire, but firefighters found a new, separate fire burning in the area, Jenkins said.

About 60 firefighters responded to the second fire, which burned within yards of houses in the Koko Villas neighborhood. The fire climbed the mountain’s slope, crested the ridge, and descended into Koko Crater, Jenkins said.

Firefighters dragged large hoses into the brush to battle the fire on steep terrain and dropped water from a helicopter bucket.

Firefighters also evacuated the Koko Crater Equestrian Center and the botanical garden because of the smoky conditions.

Twenty-two horses, a sheep named “Baa-bet” and a mini-donkey named “Jack” were walked down the road to Kalama Valley Shopping Center, said Libby Jordan, the center’s caretaker. She said the animals were going to be housed overnight at a private stable in Waimanalo.

Many horse owners were at the center prepping the horses for a show in Maunawili today when the fire erupted, said Katherine Wallen, who was with her mare Zoe.

“It was scary,” she said. “You saw the red flames right at the top.”

On nearby Koko Uka Place in Koko Villas, traffic was blocked by large fire hoses. Resident Monica McClelland was still shaken hours after the flames came within about 50 yards of her house.

“I see all these flames and everybody was running, but there were no firetrucks,” she said.

Bhanu Vellanki, who also lives in the neighborhood, said the residents’ association trimmed the brush back by about 10 feet on Dec. 31 to create a firebreak for the fireworks season. The burned-out area indicated the fire had run up to the fire break and stopped, within a few yards of the nearest houses.

Jenkins said the fire spread quickly because of the wind and was contained at 3:46 p.m. Hours later, firefighters continued working to extinguish hot spots and were considering an overnight fire watch, he said.

He said no houses were directly threatened by the fire nor were any evacuated. The cause was not determined.