UPDATE: North Kona Brushfire Subdued

County firefighters this afternoon were monitoring the perimeter of a brushfire that burned an estimated 450 acres adjacent to Hina Lani Street north of Kailua-Kona.

The fire of unknown origin broke out Wednesday afternoon and prompted the closing of the northbound lane of the highway for a brief period this morning.

Capt. Michael Andrade of the Kailua fire station said firefighters were monitoring the perimeter of the burned area while the county’s Chopper 2 made water drops on the occasional flare-ups.

“There are still hot spots,” Andrade said, noting that the fire had not expanded since Thursday.

Firefighting efforts the first two days were hampered by rough terrain and difficulty in accessing the area.