With deepest gratitude
The recent “forest” fire that burned approximately 1,400 acres in Paauilo, mostly the eucalyptus trees belonging to Kamehameha Schools, was very scary! I really don’t know how the fire started, but it started on the makai side of Highway 19 approximately 500 yards on the Hilo side of mile marker 36.
With the dry weather and very windy conditions, we could see the fire by the highway, with huge dark smoke rising above. Fortunately, the firefighters and police officers responded very quickly and tried their very best to contain the fire and stop the traffic.
Helicopters flew over with buckets of water. There were some bulldozers that made firebreaks.
The people in Paauilo were very concerned that with the strong wind blowing toward the Honokaa direction, the fire would spread towards the Paauilo camp area. However, the wind suddenly shifted to the northwest direction, causing the fire to cross the main highway to the mauka side. This made it worse because there are more trees up mauka, and the fire started to spread really fast.
The community was filled with smoke. We were very concerned that the houses in Kaohe, the homes behind Paauilo Store, Paauilo school and Pohakea area would be in danger because the fire spread up the Pohakea Road.
Traffic was halted both ways on the main highway for approximately 5½ hours. Many vehicles turned around to go through the Saddle Road. Two Hawaiian Electric trucks were on standby also. We were very fortunate that we did not lose any homes, electrical power and water, and nobody got hurt.
Thank you to the fire fighters, owners of the bulldozers, and the operators and police officers for their quick actions to spread the water, build firebreaks with the ’dozers and control the traffic. This saved the homes, Paauilo school, and the Department of Water Supply’s water tank and building up Pohakea Road.
I rode up the next day to see the extent of the damage and noticed that surrounding the water tank was totally burned, and I shocked to see hundreds of acres of trees burned.
I would like to sincerely say mahalo, gracias, arigato and thank you to all who helped control the fire. We truly appreciate all your hard and courageous work.
Faye Honma
Paauilo
Trouble at HCCC
What is happening at Hawaii Community Correctional Center?
The news says about 200 inmates were infected with COVID-19, and this is not the first time.
Regardless whether these inmates have broken rules and are serving their time, no one belongs in this germ-infected building! Even Hilo Medical Center does not have the bed capacity or nurses to accommodate these inmates.
The Central Fire Station is another building that needs major cleaning! Let’s get Mayor Mitch Roth and our previous mayor, Harry Kim, suited up with latex gloves and Lysol disinfectant and clean these two major buildings that need to be up-kept for all individuals who are either housed there or work out of these buildings. Enough said!
Mary Rillanos
Honokaa
Quick question
Is the curve flattened yet?!
Donald DeCleene
Hilo