KAILUA-KONA — Firefighters are working to douse a brush fire ignited by lightning Sunday afternoon in a remote area of Hokukano Ranch.
KAILUA-KONA — Firefighters are working to douse a brush fire ignited by lightning Sunday afternoon in a remote area of Hokukano Ranch.
Responding to a 2:04 p.m. report, firefighters from Captain Cook arrived at the scene 7 miles up Hokukano Ranch Road to find two moderate-sized brush fires burning about 50 acres in a very remote area with no radio or phone coverage, according to a media release from the Hawaii Fire Department. The department noted that someone witnessed lightning strikes in the area around the time the fire started.
Light wind in the area caused the fires to spread and the eventually merged into one fire, according to the department. Because of the remote nature of the area, firefighter had some difficulty accessing the area and containing the blaze, however, private landowners came quickly to assist with bulldozer and water operations.
The fire was listed as contained as of 8 p.m. Sunday. It had burned 350 acres as of early Monday morning.
