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Kauai firefighters are continuing to battle a brush fire that broke out in Waimea Monday afternoon.
The fire started sometime after 3 p.m. along Waimea Canyon Drive above Waimea Heights. Firefighters remained at the scene overnight to battle the fire that has since moved west, said county spokeswoman Sarah Blane.
The number of acres burned is unknown at this time, however, Blane said it’s believed to be “hundreds of acres.”
No homes or structures are threatened by the fire.
The fire department’s Air 1 helicopter and another helicopter contracted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife are expected to return to the site today to conduct water drops. Blane said state forestry crews are also expected to arrive from the neighbor islands to assist firefighters.
The fire is one of three brush fires that occurred in Waimea Monday
The first brush fire broke out at about 11 a.m. Monday along the Nonopahu Ridge on property owned by Gay & Robinson.
Firefighters including the fire department’s Air 1 helicopter, a Jack Harter helicopter hired by the landowner as well as water tankers and heavy equipment provided by Gay & Robinson brought the fire under control by 1:30 p.m.
Firefighters remained at the site to extinguish hot spots.
It’s believed sparks from a pickup truck operated by an employee of Gay & Robinson caused the fire.
The second brush fire broke out at about 2:45 p.m. along the coastline near the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park. Blane said the fire was brought under control and extinguished. The size of the brush fire is unknown at this time.
The causes of the second and third brush fires has yet to be determined.
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