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Police have launched an arson investigation after several brush fires started under suspicious circumstances Monday in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision.

At 1:15 p.m., the Hawaii Fire Department received a report of a brush fire in the area of King Kamehameha Boulevard between Luau Drive and Coral Parkway. When fire crews arrived on scene, they learned that three smaller fires had been extinguished by passersby prior to the arrival of fire personnel.

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A little less than two hours later at 3 p.m., HFD received another report of a brush fire in the same general area as the earlier fires. This brush fire also was quickly brought under control and extinguished by responding fire crews.

No injuries were reported, and no property loss was sustained as a result of these brush fires.

During the course of the investigation into these brush fires, investigators learned that a dark-skinned man wearing brown shorts and no shirt was seen in the area of where the brush fires started. The man was observed entering a white sedan that abruptly left the area and was last seen heading east on Luau Drive.

The identity of the man, as well as the make and model of the sedan, are unknown.

It is also not known if these brush fires are directly related to a Feb. 21 residential fire that destroyed a home on Paradise Parkway and burned brush on adjacent properties.

Monday’s brush fires took place a mile north of the structure fire in February. While investigating the February structure fire, police learned the homeowner reported seeing a dark-skinned man on her property shortly before the fire started. It is unknown if the man is the same man seen in the area of Monday’s brush fires.

Anyone with information regarding these fires or anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity that maybe related to the fires is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118; or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.

They may also contact the police department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.