HFD put out 20-acre brushfire in Fern Acres on Sunday
The Hawaii Fire Department responded to a brushfire in Fern Acres Sunday afternoon that burned about 20 acres.
Firefighters received a call at about 12:21 p.m. for the brushfire between Plumeria and Lehua streets, with the first unit arriving on scene at 12:46 p.m. A total of 14 units, including a C-1 chopper, responded.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a working brushfire of about 3 to 5 acres, which was burning behind homes in a rural, residential area of Fern Acres.
Due to access problems and water supply, the initial fire attack was limited, according to HFD. The C-1 chopper was eventually able to initiate water drops.
The fire was brought under control at 3:53 p.m. and was about 70% contained at about 5:34 p.m., according to county officials.
No homes were damaged by fire, HFD said, but a few storage sheds were lost. Overall, the brushfire burned 20.4 acres.
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Firefighters established a night watch to monitor the fire, and though no flareups occurred, a lot of smoke is still present in the area. HFD continues to monitor the fire today.
HFD determined that the cause of the brushfire was a rubbish fire that had spread into nearby brush.
HFD reminds the public that a Department of Health burn ban remains in effect for Hawaii island, and that rubbish and green waste fires without permits are restricted.
