Pohakuloa Fire ‘100 Percent Contained’

Photo of the brush fire at PTA, taken on March 28. Photo courtesy: Jim Albertini.

A fire that has been burning for a week at the Pohakuloa Training Area is under control, according to PTA Fire Chief Eric Moller.

Moller told Big Island Now that the fire, which has burned 200 acres, is located in an area full of vegetation, but is surrounded by lava. He said that the fire has posed no threat of escaping the area it is currently burning in.

Additionally, because of the possibility of an unexploded ordnance, fire crews cannot access the area.

“We’re letting it burn. It’s producing a lot of smoke that’s getting people get a little bit nervous, but there’s no threat to structures or utilities,” Moller said. “There’s no threat of the fire spreading off the installation. There’s no threat to any endangered species or plants.”

The fire started last Thursday at around 11:30 a.m. during combined live fire arms training, Moller said. It is believed that one of the rounds started the vegetation fire.