Mayor Harry Kim on Friday expressed his appreciation to federal, state, county agencies and private entities for their response to the recent Waimea fire, which burned some 2,200 acres of pasture last week.
The effort to put out the July 7 brush fire involved the County of Hawaii Fire Department; Hawaii Police Department; and the County of Hawaii Department of Public Works; the State Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Fisheries and Wildlife; State Highways Division; the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; the Pohakuloa Training Area’s Fire Department.
Waimea residents swung into action, too. Parker Ranch mobilized a water tanker to help fight the blaze. Glenn Bertlemann and Kamuela Bertlemann brought in D-8 and D-6 bulldozers, and Rocket Fergerstrom brought in a D-9 bulldozer.
“This was a tremendous cooperative effort, where everybody came together to control, contain and put out the fire,” Kim said in a press release Friday. “I cannot find words to express how much I appreciate everyone’s hard work, quick action and the tremendous team system of responding to this fire.”
The fire, whose cause is under investigation, destroyed one home and a vehicle. Some farm animals were also lost in the blaze.