A wind-driven brush fire consumed at least 200 acres near the Hawaii Community College-Palamanui campus Wednesday in Kona. ADVERTISING A wind-driven brush fire consumed at least 200 acres near the Hawaii Community College-Palamanui campus Wednesday in Kona. The fire, which
A wind-driven brush fire consumed at least 200 acres near the Hawaii Community College-Palamanui campus Wednesday in Kona.
The fire, which broke out about 3:30 p.m., was located mauka of Kamanu Street, which connects the campus to Kaiminani Drive. South and southeasterly winds pushed it toward the forests and homes on the mountain.
No evacuations were ordered but some left the area voluntarily because of smoke, including people at the college, said Special Operation Chief Gerald Kosaki of the Hawaii Fire Department.
As of 6:15 p.m. Wednesday there were no homes endangered, Kosaki said.
The road served as a firebreak and water drops from helicopters slowed the flames.
The college advised the public to avoid the area, said HCC external affairs coordinator Thatcher Moats.
“We don’t want people coming in,” he said.
There were no classes in session at the time, Kosaki said.
With the plan to fight the fire reliant on bulldozers and helicopters, firefighters were largely limited to monitoring the blaze.
Firefighters planned to remain on-scene throughout the night watching for hot spots and cutting firebreaks.The cause of the fire is under investigation.
West Hawaii Today’s Chelsea Jensen contributed to this story.
Email Graham Milldrum at gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com.
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