Posted at 4:39 p.m., Thursday, February 1, 2007
Firefighters monitoring Big Island brush fire
Advertiser Staff
HILO, Hawai'i — Firefighters planned to remain on the scene overnight to complete the mop-up of a Big Island brush fire that burned an estimated 2,640 acres Tuesday and Wednesday and forced the closure of two major Big Island highways.The South Kohala fire burned a 3-mile swath along the Mamalahoa Highway near the intersection with Waikoloa Road, the area where the fire started Tuesday.
Fire Capt. Gary Sturdy said the fire was completely contained, and said crews will monitor the fire for at least another day, and planned to keep water trucks on the scene to wet down any flare-ups.
Sturdy said the effort was helped by a light rain Thursday afternoon that dampened the remaining brush within the burn area, "which is way better than dry, windy conditions." Firefighters cut fire breaks around the entire burn area Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
About 55 state, county and federal firefighters remained on the scene Thursday, he said.
"We're going to mop up and keep an eye on things and make sure it doesn't jump the break," Sturdy said. "It's all well within a well-defined bulldozer cut all the way around it."
