The Hawaii County Fire Department was back in Kona Acres Friday dousing flareups in a blaze area that blackened 193 acres over Fourth of July weekend.
Two days after the incident was officially closed, three smoldering areas popped up Friday — one on the eastern edge of the burn below Kona Acres, and two to the southwest corner. Firefighters were on scene at 8 a.m. following reports from residents about the smoke in brushy areas within the fire break.
A ladder truck from South Kohala enabled firefighters a higher angle and large volume of water to soak trouble areas, Battalion Chief Joseph Farias said. A county helicopter drew water from a frog pond set up near Kapuahi Street to douse the fire.
There was enough direct sun and light variable winds to intensify conditions, Farias said.
“We’re trying to address the situation while it’s still cooler,” he said Friday morning.
The fire started last Saturday near Kapuahi and moved rapidly mauka along the edge of Wainani Estates, threatening homes, whose owners and neighbors converged to battle the fire with garden hoses as it passed their property. Firefighters stopped the blaze just west of Kona Acres, and continued to battle flareups through the early part of the week.