Firefighters extinguish brush fire in Anahola Friday

ANAHOLA – Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters, County and state personnel, and private landowners extinguished a brush fire in Anahola on Friday, Aug. 23.

No injuries were reported. However, the fire destroyed a storage container, causing an estimated $8,000 in damages to property and contents.

Firefighters with the Kapa‘a and Kaiākea fire stations, Tender 1, Tender 2, the Department of Public Works, Air 1, Air 2, and the on-duty Batallion Chief responded to the incident.

Personnel with the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency also monitored the fire and supported this response.

According to a preliminary report, first responders received a report from Kaua‘i Police Dispatch of a fire in Anahola, mauka of Kūhiō Highway, across from the United States Postal Service office shortly before 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they discovered the fire on a hillside mauka of the post office. Air 1 and Air 2 were deployed since the fire was inaccessible via vehicle. Air 1 and Air 2 continued to drop water on the fire through sundown, stopping the spread on the southwest side of the blaze.

With homeowners’ assistance, firefighters made their way to the head of the fire through a gate on Hokualele Road. Vehicular access was also improved with the assistance of an excavator, creating a road around the perimeter of the fire. This allowed crews with fire and public works to access the north and east end of the fire. In addition, the County tender and bulldozer created additional breaks for vehicle access. Crews continued and fought the fire until it was extinguished. First responders and partners cleared the scene shortly before 2:55 a.m. N5 sensors were installed to detect flare-ups throughout the night.

Crews returned to the scene at first light to monitor hot spots and fully cleared the scene at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.