Posted on: Thursday, February 27, 2003

Big Island fires under control

Advertiser Staff

Efforts to fight two Ka'u brushfires that consumed almost 4,000 acres on the Big Island appeared to be winding down yesterday.

Both fires were thought to have been started by lightning Sunday.

Hawai'i County Assistant Fire Chief Lloyd Narimatsu said a fire makai of Pahala village was fully contained by fire breaks, with just two firefighters left there for an overnight firewatch. The fire burned about 2,000 acres, but did not destroy any structures.

Rain helped state firefighters contain another blaze that burned about 1,800 acres in the Kapapala Forest Reserve at the 5,000-foot elevation on the southwest flank of Mauna Loa, said Jon Giffin, of the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife.