KAILUA-KONA — The number of suspicious wildfires continues to grow as authorities investigate a series of blazes that were sparked during the past two weekends along Highway 190. Authorities also are investigating a brush fire July 7 in Waimea that scorched 2,200 acres.
Founders of the nonprofit Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, in support of the Hawaii Fire Department, is reminding the public about a $5,000 reward fund set up by the foundation 10 years ago. The money rewards people who have information that leads to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for arson.
“Anytime firefighters go out to unnecessary fires, it takes away from something else they could be doing and eats up funding,” said foundation co-founder Laura Mallery-Sayre.
The most recent suspicious fire under investigation happened at 4:30 a.m. Friday. Hawaii Police Department Maj. Robert Wagner said an abandoned vehicle was found on fire on Highway 190 at mile marker 30.
Several small brush fires were reported in the same area the weekend before.
The first was discovered about 3:30 p.m. July 15 near mile marker 29 on Mamalahoa Highway. The second was at 7:45 p.m. the same day, a half-mile up the road. The third fire was spotted at 1:35 p.m. July 16 at mile marker 30, north of the Makalei Golf Course area.
“The last string of fires in the Kona area were all suspicious,” said Fire Chief Darren Rosario.
The chief added the blazes are similar in nature and could be connected.
In 2007, the year the arson fund was established, the Fire Department responded to nine brush fires along the South Kohala coast. The blazes scorched 9,000 acres and threatened homes and nearby resorts.
After the fund was created, Rosario said, they saw a reduction in suspiciously set fires. Unfortunately, the number of intentionally set fires has crept back up with no convictions.
In March 2016, the foundation and Fire Department renewed attention to the fund after about a dozen suspicious fires flared up in West Hawaii.
Since Rosario became chief in 2011, he said, there have been no convictions in arson wildfires.
“They’re hard to solve because we really rely on eyewitness statements,” he said.
Rosario added that any evidence left behind at the scene is usually burned up.
“We just want the public to know to be vigilant — call if they see something suspicious,” Rosario said. “Each fire does increase hazards to the community and firefighters.”
Rosario encouraged residents to report vehicles and license plate numbers if they are seen parked along the highway where it’s not a normal place to park. Community members also should be alert to burning items being tossed out of the vehicle.
The chief said arsonists, some of whom could suffer from a “behavioral disorder,” also can take to social media.
“They’ll make comments on social media because they’re proud of what they did,” Rosario said.
Mallery-Sayre said every time she hears about an intentionally set fire, it feels like the foundation’s efforts “go up in smoke.”
“It’s a very selfish thing to set fires,” she said.
Email Tiffany Demasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.
