***This story was updated at 8:50 p.m. to include additional information from the Hawai’i County Fire Department.***
The Hawai’i County Fire Department says 293 acres of land Mauka of Highway 130 has burned, a direct result of the active June 27 Kilauea Volcano Lava Flow.
According to HFD, the fire was estimated to be between Pahoa and the Ainaloa subdivision.
Earlier in the afternoon, fire crews reported that the blaze had jumped an existing fire break and moved to the west. It was extinguished with the combination of water bucket drops from a helicopter and consistent water blasts from a ground crew.
An aerial survey will be done at first light Tuesday.
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***This story was updated at 5:45 p.m. to include updated information from Hawai’i County Civil Defense.***
Hawai’i County Civil Defense says that the runaway brush fire on the Mauka side of Highway 130 has been contained.
The fire was started by the June 27 Kilauea Volcano lava flow and was near the Pahoa and Ainaola areas.
Civil Defense reports that members of the Hawai’i County Fire Department will remain on scene throughout the evening to mop up the fire.
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***Original story posted at 5:14 p.m.***
The Hawai’i County Fire Department is battling a runaway brush fire at the front of the June 27 Kilauea lava flow.
According to Hawai`i County Civil Defense administrator Darryl Oliveira, the fire is located on the Mauka side of Highway 130 between Pahoa and Ainaola and moving to the north.
Oliveira says the fire is “at least” 0.5 miles away from the highway.
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The fire was first discovered just after 12 p.m. Monday by a United States Geological Survey crew that was doing an aerial check of the lava flow. By the time the fire was initially called in, 100 acres had been burned.
No homes or communities are being threatened at this time by the fire. In Oliveira’s conversations with fire crews on the scene, he is confident that it will remain that way.
“There is actually two fire breaks,” Oliveira explained. “There is one coming up from the Maku’u area, the Hawaiian Homes subdivision, and there’s a second one directly behind the Ainaloa subdivision.
“I spoke to the Fire Battalion Chief earlier this afternoon and they are pretty comfortable that the fire wouldn’t threaten any homes because, even if it was to jump across one fire break, they could take a stand at the second fire break and protect the structures.”
Civil Defense advises residents in the Hawaiian Paradise Park and Ainaloa areas that smoke conditions are expected to increase as wind may push it north of the fire.
Big Island Now will provide more updates when they are made available.
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