Authorities yesterday responded to a report that a military-style canister was found on Kailua Beach, where President-elect Barack Obama is vacationing, but found it to be harmless.

Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said the report came in at shortly after 3 p.m. and that firefighters were dispatched to where the canister was located at 620 Kaimalino St. The location was less than four-tenths of a mile from the beachfront compound on Kailuana Place being rented by the Obamas.

"We checked it out. It was harmless," said Seelig. "It was an old barnacle-encrusted casing from a phosphorous flare. It wasn't active. It was inert in that it had already been used."

Seelig said someone apparently found it by the beach and placed it near a trash collection point. Someone else spotted it, became alarmed, and contacted police.

The casing was removed and the Honolulu Police Department will turn it over to the military, Seelig said.