A fire at the Kula Forest Reserve on Maui has burned more than 600 acres, fire officials said Friday.

The blaze was about 30 percent contained and burning dense forest at elevations of between 6,000 and 7,600 feet.

Dozens of firefighters along with more than 40 state Division of Forestry and Wildlife officials were trying to combat the blaze and steer it away from a host of native plants and animals in the forest.

"Difficult terrain and equipment movement hampered by the dense forest affected our efforts," said John Cumming, the Maui branch manager for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The cause is under investigation. The fire was reported Wednesday afternoon on Waiohuli Trail about three miles from the Polipoli State Park cabin and camping area.

Lance DeSilva, of the Maui Fire Department, said the cabin has not been damaged. Four helicopters dropped water on the flames through mid-afternoon, when cloudy conditions made it unsafe to fly. Six bulldozers made firebreaks.

BIG ISLAND CRASH VICTIM IDENTIFIED

Big Island police have identified the victim of a Thursday one-car crash as Champie K.S. Choy Foo, 19, of Pahoa. He was driving south at 3:07 a.m. on Route 130 when his sedan ran off the road and slammed into a rock embankment at the intersection of Route 130 and Pohaku Place in Kea'au, police said.

A 22-year-old passenger was critically injured in the crash.

Both men were initially taken to Hilo Medical Center but flown to The Queen's Medical Center, where Choy Foo died Thursday. The condition of the other man was not available.