300-Acre Brushfire Burning in South Point

The Hawai‘i Fire Department is responding to a 300-acre brushfire between Ka‘alu‘alu Bay and South Point Road in the Ka‘ū District, the department reported Monday, July 25.

The fire started around 1:45 p.m. Sunday.

A representative at the Ocean View fire station told Big Island Now that volunteer firefighters were called out to assist crews battling the blaze.

Visitors and residents are advised to avoid the area as smoke from the fire may affect visibility and air quality.

Eric Moller, deputy fire chief for the Hawai’i Fire Department, said HFD is being assisted by the Department of Public Works and the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife battling the blaze. No structures are threatened.

One Ocean View resident told Big Island Now that the fire on Sunday created huge plumes of black smoke that filled the air and blew down the coastline. Monday’s fire didn’t seem nearly as imposing as what transpired on Sunday, Chris Murphy said.

“Yesterday, it looked like a volcano was going off,” Murphy said. “It was obvious from everywhere out here.”

“It smelled like a housefire almost,” he added.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.