The Windward Aviation helicopter with only the pilot aboard went down at 1:15 p.m. in a brush area in Maunaloa on the island's West End. Assistant Fire Chief Gordon Cordeiro said the pilot did not appear to have suffered life-threatening injuries. The pilot was treated at Moloka'i General Hospital and then transferred to Maui Memorial Medical Center.

Five separate brush fires were reported on Moloka'i's West End since yesterday, and fire officials last night were checking a report of a sixth blaze in the Kaluako'i area. No homes, farms or other property were in danger of burning, Cordeiro said.

A total of about 1,200 acres have burned as of yesterday evening, with the largest of the fires blackening about 400-plus acres, he said. The first fire was reported at 2 p.m. yesterday in Ho'olehua.

Cordeiro said the conditions are dry and windy, and the fires are burning in areas unaccessible to fire trucks.

Between 15 to 20 county firefighters along with other county employees and Moloka'i Ranch crews were working to contain the fires using heavy equipment to make fire breaks, he said. Off-duty Moloka'i firefighters were called in to work and firefighters from Maui were flown over to assist.

At any given time two to three helicopters were dropping water onto the flames.

Cordeiro said Moloka'i was ripe for a brush fire because of the dry conditions. "It's ready to burn," he said.