Army plans controlled burn in Makua Valley

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

The U.S. Army plans to start a "controlled burn" next week at the Makua Military Reservation in Makua Valley.

The Army will start the 800- to 900-acre burn on Tuesday, depending on weather conditions, said Capt. Kathy Turner, a spokeswoman for the 25th Infantry Division (Light) and U.S. Army, HawaiÎi.

She said the burn should be over by July 25.

Army officials said the fires will not be allowed to spread beyond their designated burn areas.

They said safety measures will be in place before the start of the burn, including a pair of Black Hawk UH-60 helicopters, each with a 660-gallon water bucket, on site all week. A 20-person firefighting detail will also be on hand.

The Army maintains two 330,000-gallon reservoirs in Makua Valley.

"As a precaution, we also have a primary and secondary fire retardant lines to contain the fire," Turner said.

Fires in the reservation, which is used by soldiers for live ammunition training, are part of the Army's overall plan to manage the area, conduct ordnance clearing and continue archaeological surveys, Turner said.

The last controlled burn in the valley was in October 2002.

Hawai'i is in the midst of a statewide drought, with dry conditions expected to continue through the normally hot summer months.

Turner said the burn is a way to reduce vegetation that could fuel brushfires.

"The Army has considered the weather and the amount of rain in the area and determined that the timing is ideal since burns are more successful when conditions are dry," she said. "We are confident that with the safety measures and precautions in place that the burn will go according to plan and will remain contained."