Dry conditions and brisk winds helped a brush fire in Ewa Beach spread quickly Saturday, and had dozens of firefighters battling flames for hours in an area with no access to fire hydrants.
Capt. Gary Lum, a spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department, said the blaze near the intersection of Hoomaka Street and Iroquois Road was reported about 2:47 p.m.
More than 40 firefighters responded to the brush fire, which was under control by 5:38 p.m.
But well after sunset, firefighters were still on scene monitoring hot spots.
Lum said the blaze was "complicated" by drought conditions, uncontrolled vegetation, strong winds and difficult access to water.
Firefighters were especially concerned early on because flames were being pushed toward a residential community.
But Lum said homes were never in any immediate danger and no one was evacuated.
HFD could not immediately estimate how many acres the fire burned.
Firefighters also battled a second blaze Saturday near White Plains Beach.
The fire was reported about 3:11 p.m., but firefighters were able to contain it quickly. There was no estimate on how much was burned.
Meanwhile on Saturday, officials said a planned burn of 90 acres at a Schofield Barracks live-fire range went forward with no immediate reports of major problems.
Lum said a handful of residents did call HFD dispatch to report a smell of smoke in the air or to report particulates blowing downwind.
One of those residents, Esther Adams, said she saw smoke in the Makaha area around noon, apparently from the Schofield burn.
"It looked hazy, like vog," she said.
She also reported some ash in the air.
The burn was aimed at reducing the risk of fire accidentally breaking out in the area.
U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii officials said the prescribed burn was meant to eliminate "fire-prone vegetation."
The burn plan was approved by the state Health Department.
