Waialua blaze 80 percent contained

A stubborn wildfire in a remote gulch in Waialua was reported 80 percent contained yesterday.

Three helicopters from the Honolulu Fire Department, the Honolulu Police Department and a private contractor dropped water on the fire, which is in a gulch with flanks too steep for firefighters to access from the ground, Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig said yesterday.

Poamoho Stream passes through the gulch on the Waianae side of Poamoho Camp in an agricultural field near Kaukonahua Road, Seelig said.

The fire began Thursday afternoon and burned within yards of several former plantation homes at Poamoho Camp and closed Kaukonahua Road.

Suspect arrested in sexual assault

After a public plea for help, Honolulu police arrested a suspect yesterday in connection with the sex assault of a 25-year-old woman at Wahiawa Shopping Center.

Officers with the crime reduction unit arrested the 30-year-old man at his Lakeview Circle home in Wahiawa about 1:10 p.m. He was booked on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree robbery and kidnapping.

Police said that about 8 p.m. Wednesday, the woman was walking down the stairs at 823 California Ave. when a man came up from behind, demanded money, then sexually assaulted and took her belongings.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Fire damages greenhouse

Hawaii County firefighters put out a fire yesterday that caused $140,000 in damage to a greenhouse at a commercial flower nursery in Pahoa.

The fire began at 4:31 a.m. at 15-2567 Keaau-Pahoa Road in a 40-by-180-foot greenhouse with metal framing and fiberglass roofing.

The fire also damaged machinery and supplies, firefighters said.

It was brought under control at 5:01 a.m. and put out at 5:30 a.m.

The greenhouse is owned by Alan Kuwahara.

The cause was under investigation.