THURSDAY UPDATES:
11:50 a.m. — Authorities have now closed Highway 190, or Mamalahoa Highway, between Old Saddle Road and Kaiminani Drive.
10:05 a.m. — Waikoloa Road remains closed between Highway 190 (Mamalahoa Highway) and Paniolo Avenue because of the brush fire, police said. Highway 190 is closed between Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Old Saddle Road.
9:40 a.m. — About 75 percent of a 5,300-acre brush fire that shut down roads on Wednesday is contained, said West Hawaii Battalion Chief Michael Grace this morning, although there is still some active burning in the area.
At approximately 5:30 a.m., Hawaii County Civil Defense said the fire has been kept behind a fire break and away from Waikoloa Village.
Road status and conditions may change without notice and people should avoid the area if possible.
KAILUA-KONA — Traffic was backed up to a stand-still from Kawaihae Road to the Waikoloa Beach Resort after emergency responders closed junctions at Waikoloa Road and Daniel K. Inouye Highway due to a brush fire Wednesday afternoon.
Approximately 1:36 p.m., Hawaii Police alerted the public to the blaze on Highway 190, or Mamalahoa Highway, at mile marker 7 through its Nixle notification system. Roads were closed at Saddle Road and Daniel K. Inouye junctions and Waikoloa Road between Waikoloa Village and Highway 190. As of press time Wednesday, Mamalahoa Highway was open, but Waikoloa Road remained closed between Mamalahoa and Paniolo Avenue.
“This fire is going to be burning for a long time,” Battalion Chief Ian Smith said.
Smith estimates the fire is 2 miles from the westernmost streets of the village, and firefighters are working on fire break lines now. The possibility exists however, that it will jump the fire break as they work on it.
“That is a concern,” Smith said.
Earlier in the day, according Hawaii County Fire officials, the blaze was reported to be 1,500 acres around 2 p.m. Around 4 p.m. Smith said, the flames jumped the highway, also called the upper road, and the “fire is running.”
There was currently no sign of containment by late afternoon as it was burning in an area inaccessible to ground crews.
Choppers made water drops on the fast-moving fire as strong, variable winds fanned the flames.
Smoke was building in the area of Highway 190 and Daniel K Inouye Highway where police directed traffic. Waimea bound vehicles were instructed to take Waikii (Old Saddle Road) while those headed to Waikoloa had to head back to Kona to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. Kona bound traffic from Waimea was rerouted down Kawaihae Road.
As word spread on social media that the fire was a mile and a half from Waikoloa Stables, a crowd of residents gathered by the post office to view the approaching flames Wednesday evening.
A steady stream of cars came and went.
Most came to get cell phone photos of the blaze, confident that firefighters will keep it at bay.
“It’s scary,” said Waikoloa Village resident Joanne Willard.
The smell of smoke and visible flames brought back memories of the 2005 fire that forced the evacuation of the cul-de-sac community.
However Willard, along with other residents, felt they were safe where they lived.
“It concerns me,” said Derek Marquez. “Maybe this will prompt them to open up the access road.”
There has not been an order to evacuate as of press time Wednesday night.