Big Island firefighters were busy yesterday fighting a 350-acre brush fire on the southeast side of the island.

The blaze started about 1:35 p.m. in Kaalualu near Kaalualu Bay, but was not threatening any structures, firefighters said.

A fire helicopter made water drops and had to guide about six vehicles of campers and fishermen away from the bay because they couldn’t find their way out in the smoke, firefighters said.

By 8 p.m., firefighters brought three flanks under control and were waiting for a bulldozer to finish building firebreaks on the east side. No one was injured, and a cause was still under investigation.