New HFD chiefs officially promoted

Honolulu Fire Capts. Daryl Evangelista and Paul Fukuda have been promoted to battalion chiefs.

A promotion ceremony was held Friday at the Honolulu Fire Department headquarters auditorium at 636 South St.

Evangelista has 31 years of service and has been assigned to Battalion 4, 1st Platoon, to oversee operations from Waianae to Waipahu.

Fukuda has 23 years of service and has been assigned to Battalion 5, 3rd Platoon, to oversee operations from the airport industrial district to the North Shore.

Kahikinui blaze is fully contained

The massive fire that has blackened approximately 5,300 acres of land in Kahikinui since Monday has been fully contained, according to Maui fire officials.

County and state Forestry Division firefighters spent Friday mopping up smoldering areas across an 8-mile area, walking along parts inaccessible to bulldozers and using hand tools and water packs to wet down hot spots found next to unburned brush. A Fire Department helicopter and bulldozers also contributed to the containment effort.

According to fire officials, fire crews cut firebreaks in all of the involved areas that could be reached by bulldozers and used hand crews on foot to create control lines around most of the fire perimeter.

No major flare-ups were seen on Saturday as firefighters continued searching for hot spots and mopped up accessible areas along Piilani Highway.

A decrease in winds aided Saturday’s effort. However, forecasters predict that winds will increase from 5 to 10 mph on Saturday evening to about 10 to 20 mph today.

Fire officials have not yet declared the fire extinguished. Firefighters were scheduled to continue patrolling the area overnight and will likely make numerous checks in the days ahead.

Wind advisory set for summits

A high-wind advisory is in effect for the summits of Haleakala, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa through 6 a.m. Monday, the National Weather Service said.

Westerly winds of 30 to 45 mph are expected, with gusts up to 65 mph, the weather service said.

Motorists, especially those in vehicles that are high off the ground, are urged to drive with “extreme caution,” the agency said.