Big Island firefighters battled for hours yesterday a small hard-to-reach wild fire sparked by ranch hands working near Honokaa.

Workers at Kukaiau Ranch were using a chain saw when sparks started the fire after 1 p.m., said Hawaii County fire Battalion Chief Aaron Arbles.

Firefighters had to transport water to the 5-acre blaze and could only reach it by traveling along a crude road with four-wheel drive brush trucks.

By 6:45 p.m., firefighters had the blaze contained and were expected to finish mopping up tonight.