Stubborn fire in Makakilo will take more time to put out

Honolulu firefighters are expecting a drawn-out battle to extinguish a slow-moving Makakilo fire accidentally started by two 7-year-old boys.

Honolulu fire Capt. David Jenkins said the upper slope of the fire remained only 20 percent contained Tuesday afternoon and burning deep within thick mats of decaying forest material in extremely steep and rugged terrain.

"It’s not going to be a quick, easy extinguishment," he said.

The dense forest canopy also protected some smoldering areas from water drops by the fire department’s helicopter, Jenkins said.

He could not estimate when firefighters will extinguish the brush fire, but said operations are expected to be "extended," judging by past fires with similar circumstances.

A Punaluu fire that burned inside thick mats of decaying vegetation smoldered for at least two weeks before firefighters extinguished it, he said.

In Makakilo firefighters have to dig up thick ground cover, sometimes 3 feet deep, to expose and extinguish smoldering hot spots. Firefighters plan to allow some areas too difficult to reach to burn out on their own.

The 1,000-acre fire started Friday when the boys played with a lighter. They will attend an HFD fire safety class.

More than 100 Honolulu firefighters responded Friday. About 20 homes were evacuated for three days and one home suffered minor damage: a scorched wall and door. The fire is no longer threatening homes or a nearby forest reserve.

Some cabins on Palehua Road and structures at Camp Timberline were also evacuated Friday.

Firefighters were posted overnight Tuesday to monitor flare-ups near homes.

The state provided three helicopters for water drops and about a dozen personnel over the weekend at a cost of more than $54,000. No cost estimates were available for Honolulu firefighters.

Thirty-fire firefighters and a fire helicopter battled the blaze Tuesday, assisted by rain and moisture that slowed the fire’s pace.

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Star-Advertiser reporter Gregg Kakesako contributed to this report.