Updated at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, July 7, 2007
Firefighters stay busy across state
Advertiser Staff
A 4 p.m. rubbish fire on Nimitz Highway under an 'ewa-bound viaduct near Middle Street capped a day of incendiary activity that Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Robert Main described as "a little out of the ordinary."Main said HFD was called to as many as a dozen similar fires today — all of which were quickly contained by firefighters.
"We've been having a lot of small, spot brushfires and rubbish fires here and there," said Main. "The Nimitz fire is the biggest we've had today."
Three engines, a tanker and 19 firefighters were able to douse that one in relatively short order, said Main, who added that the fire was not deliberately started.
"It was an accident," he said. "There seems to be a homeless encampment under the viaduct, and they were cooking with propane burners and they lit some of their belongings on fire."
No one was injured, he said.
Main said the Manoa fire near UH that started Thursday and burned through Friday appeared to be extinguished today.
"It didn't appear to want to flare up again," he said. "It seems to be pretty well out."
On Friday afternoon, Big Island firefighters and a helicopter were able to save two homes in North Kohala on Puakea Bay Ranch from a brushfire that was probably started by tractor mowers igniting dry vegetation. The fire blackened 10 acres said Hawai'i Fire Capt. Greg Kane.
And on Kaua'i today, firefighters fought a huge compost pile that was ignited by spontaneous combustion behind Kaua'i Nursery and Landscapingin Puhi. Some 14 firefighters from the Kalaheo, Koloa and Lihu'e fire stations responded to the 2:16 p.m. alarm, assisted by KNL workers using a caterpillar, backhoe, loaders and an excavator.
No lives or structures were threatened. The fire was under control by 3:30 p.m.
