Smoke from fire in vacant lot closes road
Firefighters brought under control a small brush fire that generated heavy smoke Friday near Campbell Industrial Park.
Police closed Malakole Street between Kalaeloa Boulevard and Hanua Street because of the smoke, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
The fire started at about 2:30 p.m., apparently along Kalaeloa and mauka of Malakole, and burned in an undeveloped lot overgrown with grass and koa haole.
Seelig said firefighters brought the blaze under control by 3:30 p.m. but planned to remain for several more hours to extinguish the fire. The cause was unknown.
Waialua brush fire snarls traffic
Firefighters extinguished a brush fire in Waialua on Friday night.
The fire was under control about two hours after it was reported at 5:31 p.m., said Fire Capt. Carlton Yamada.
About 25 firefighters were called to battle the fire near Waialua Beach Road and Cane Haul Road north of Waialua Elementary. Yamada said the fire caused no damage to structures.
The fire caused traffic to slow along Waialua Beach Road and Crozier Avenue. "It’s a mess," said Karen Gallagher, a Waialua resident.
Tourists rescued from water off Kaanapali
Two female tourists from Florida swimming off a Maui beach got into trouble Thursday and had to be rescued by fire rescue and ocean safety officials.
A Maui Fire Department spokesman said the two — ages 12 and 20 — were about 75 yards off the Honua Kai Resort in Kaanapali and were trying to return to shore on a raft when they called for help at 4:14 p.m.
A resort beach attendant witnessed the swimmers having difficulty getting back to shore and called police. A rescue ski brought the women back to shore. They did not need medical attention.
