Haleakala fire may be heading for park
| • | Brushfire threatened Hale'iwa |
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
WAILUKU, Maui — Maui firefighters yesterday continued to battle a wind-whipped blaze that has blackened an estimated 5,000 acres of brush in the Kahikinui area, high on the southwest flank of Haleakala.
Four helicopters dumped water on the fire, which started Sunday afternoon. County firefighters from Kula, Makawao and Kahului worked through the night Sunday and the blaze was declared extinguished at 3:29 a.m. Monday, officials said. But winds rekindled the flames, and fire crews returned to the area later in the day.
State and federal officials were on the scene yesterday as the flames appeared to be marching toward state forest land and Haleakala National Park.
The National Park Service called in two federal officials who battled fires at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, including an incident commander who will lead the park's ground forces if the fire enters the national park. The service also is prepared to pay for two helicopters starting today, said Mark Tanaka-Sanders, acting chief ranger at Haleakala.
"The wind is so strong, it's hard to stand up here," said Tanaka-Sanders, who estimated the wind was blowing at 30 mph.
