Brush fire burns 100 yards from Lokahi Apartments

KAILUA-KONA — Five Hawaii County Fire Department companies plus two helicopters battled a brush fire about 100 yards south of Lokahi Apartments on Kakahiaka Street.

The first call came in shortly after 11:30 a.m. The fire, suspicious in nature, started on a ridge directly south of the apartments and quickly spread, burning more than 10 acres. Because of the thick vegetation, firefighters did not battle the blaze from the ground, instead relying on the helicopters to make water drops on multiple locations.

The engines involved were on standby in case the fire moved closer to buildings.

A bulldozer was called in to cut a fire break around the buildings.

This is the second fire in as many days near the apartments. The fire on Thursday, however, was farther south and quickly extinguished.

No evacuations were ordered.