Maui firefighters planned to remain tonight and Friday morning in Pukalani to battle potential flareups from a wind-whipped brush fire that came within 30 feet of homes and forced an evacuation of residents.

The fire burned about 200 acres of brush land on the south and west side of Akalani Loop and required a large crew, including 26 firefighters and three helicopters conducting water drops.

Fire spokesman Edward Taomoto said there were no reports of injuries or damage to structures.

He said the cause of the fire remains undetermined but it started near homes on the Akalani Loop side of the gulch.

Firefighters, responding to the alarm at 2:21 p.m., had difficulty fighting the blaze in a 100-foot gulch.

He said winds, blowing at 25 miles an hour, helped to spread the flames.

Taomoto said the fire eventually was stopped when it reached pineapple and green sugarcane fields.