Kauai brush fire destroys 1 house, prompts evacuations

A brush fire destroyed one home, damaged three others and forced the evacuation of nearly 100 homes along Weliweli Tract in Koloa, Kauai, Wednesday afternoon.

The fire was first reported near Ala Kinoiki Road about 2 p.m. and spread quickly across open grassland toward Weliweli Tract.

Some 98 homes in the area were evacuated while firefighters and residents battled the blaze.

Police closed Kapili Road, Poipu Road, Ala Kinoiki Road, Pee Road and other feeder roads in the area until the fire was deemed under control about 5:30 p.m. However, Kipuka Street remained closed, and residents were advised to stay clear of the area through the early evening as crews worked to fully extinguish the fire.

Hudson Bundschuh, 17, was at home, up the street from the fire, when he saw the first plumes of smoke.

Bundschuh was among area residents who manned garden hoses to slow the advancing flames and protect their neighbors’ properties.

"We had to pull our shirts over our faces because of all the smoke," he said. "The ashes were coming right over. (The fire) was really close. It was so hot it melted one of the fences on the property."

Bryce Johnson, who lives within the tract on Kipuka Street, said firefighters raced from one lot to another as the fire jumped across properties.

"They did the best they could trying to douse three or four houses at a time spread out across a quarter-mile," Johnson said.

Johnson said the house that was destroyed was occupied by the same family for 50 years.

No injuries were reported.

The fire was extinguished at 6:30 p.m.