Suspected arsonist held in Hawaii Kai brush fires

Police arrested a 35-year-old East Honolulu man suspected of starting a brush fire in Hawaii Kai on Monday afternoon.

Lt. Michael Nakada of the Honolulu Police Department’s District 7 said his district’s detectives and officers have been investigating numerous suspicious brush fires in the Kamilonui Valley area, and will handle the case.

The man was arrested at 7 p.m. Monday at the scene of the fire on suspicion of second-degree arson.

“We’re hoping that this will put an end to it,” Nakada said.

The Honolulu Fire Department has responded to more than a dozen brush fires in the area since January. HFD officials deemed the fires suspicious last week, asking the public to report any suspicious activities or individuals in the area before, during or after a fire.

The Hawaii Kai community has been complaining that not enough has been done to stop the brush fires; some have accused homeless people of starting the blazes.

However, fire Capt. David Jenkins said fire investigators have been working the scenes, looking at different burn sites, studying burn patterns and fuel loads, and have found no evidence of homeless encampments in the area.

Jenkins said fire officials have been trying to uncover any information based on fact that would help in the investigation.

The fires have ranged in size from 100 square feet to 20 acres, with most less than 2 acres. Although a few fires occurred in the area at the beginning of the year, most have been within the past two months.

The brush fire Monday burned a quarter-acre.

Firefighters from three companies were dispatched at 4:49 p.m. and arrived at the scene at 4:58 p.m. The brush fire was under control at 5:22 p.m. and extinguished at 5:47 p.m.

The brush fires have been in the valley at the end of Kamilonui Place.

Many of the fires have been difficult to reach by foot, and firefighters have had to rely on water drops by helicopter.