Officials reopened Honoapiilani Highway to Central Maui-bound traffic this afternoon after a brushfire forced the closure of the pali highway, and 911 callers from the area found their phone service disrupted, Maui county officials said.

The fire was under control in three hours and charred five acres near mile marker six, mauka of the Maalaea Harbor. About 20 firefighters assisted by helicopter and water tankers battled the fire in rocky terrain. No one was injured in the fire.
"We're lucky that wind gusts were only at 20-25 mph considering that this area is known for high winds," Battalion Chief Val Martin said in a prepared statement. "We didn't waste any time getting resources here so that we could get a handle on it as quickly as possible."
The fire damaged a Hawaiian TelCom fiber; the company completed repairs at 4:45 p.m. Phone service for land lines and cell phones was affected in West Maui.