County of Hawai'i firefighters spent the day continuing to battle three brush fires in remote areas of mauka Kona.

The three fires — located at Yee Hop Ranch, Hokukano Ranch and Kealakekua Ranch — have each been contained. The Yee Hop and Hokukano Ranch fires are expected to be extinguished but the Kealakekua fire could continue to burn for several days, according to a news release issued by Mayor Billy Kenoi's office.
Fire breaks have been bulldozed around each fire and firefighters equipped with heavy equipment continue to monitor each fire's progress. No injuries of damage to property have been reported.
"We will continue to have resources on scene and deploy what strategies w feel are prudent and most effective to mitigate the fires and minimize any threat to the community," County Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira said in the release.
Firefighters have been unable to use helicopters because of the high altitude of the fires (the Hokukano fire is also located below a thick canopy of trees).
The Yee Hop and Kealakekua fires are believed to have been started by lightning. The cause of the Hokukano fire is still under investigation.
The state Department of Health, which is monitoring air quality, has detected sporadic, elevated levels of particulates in the area which may be attributed to vog and the recent fires.