KAILUA-KONA — Firefighters responded to fires in West Hawaii on Tuesday that were possibly started by fireworks, the Hawaii Fire Department said, but there were no injuries or structure damage reported as a result of any of them. ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA
KAILUA-KONA — Firefighters responded to fires in West Hawaii on Tuesday that were possibly started by fireworks, the Hawaii Fire Department said, but there were no injuries or structure damage reported as a result of any of them.
The largest fire reported was a brush fire across a couple of acres near Kamuela View Estates along Kawaihae Road, said West Hawaii Battalion Chief John Whitman. Police said shortly before 11:30 Tuesday night that the road was closed near the 61-mile marker as a result of the fire.
Whitman said the fire was possibly caused by fireworks and that it was under control within a couple hours.
Colin Edsman, a resident who lives just across from where the fire occurred, said there wasn’t a sign of anything ablaze when he got home around 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
“I went to take the dogs out around 11, and there was a raging fire outside,” he said.
The second he stepped outside, he said, an ambulance and fire truck pulled up to the scene. As responders were waiting for a tanker truck to arrive with water, a neighbor took matters into his own hands, hooking up a series of garden hoses and spraying water to keep the fire from making its way closer to the street.
Edsman said the fire department’s vehicles left around 3:30 a.m.
He added that he didn’t see what might have caused the blaze.
“It was just like so sudden,” he said.
Whitman said there were also a couple small brush fires in Ocean View, which were also possibly the result of fireworks, but he couldn’t confirm that was the case.
“All small stuff we were able to get out,” he said.
There weren’t any structures damaged or injuries reported as a result of those fires. The department wasn’t able to provide information about injuries directly related to fireworks.
Police, meanwhile, said there weren’t any citations for illegal fireworks issued over the holiday.
Assistant Chief Mitchell Kanehailua said police responded to 34 calls across the island related to fireworks between Friday and Wednesday. Nine of those were in the Hawaii Police Department’s Area II, which covers West Hawaii.
“Most of the calls were nuisance type calls,” said Kanehailua. “No citations were issued.”
Hawaii Police Department Maj. Robert Wagner said generally there’s a small amount of fireworks-related calls on Independence Day, as fewer fireworks are purchased compared to New Year’s Eve.
During that same period of time, the department made 12 arrests for driving under the influence in Kona and one in South Kohala, according to Kanehailua.
“Holidays are usually quiet except New Year’s, in particular New Year’s Eve,” Wagner said.
Residents should be aware that the use of fireworks was permitted only from 1-9 p.m. on Tuesday. Anybody violating that law could face a fine of up to $2,000 for each violation.
