KAILUA-KONA — The number of suspicious wildfires continues to grow as authorities are now investigating a series of blazes along Highway 190 this month.
KAILUA-KONA — The number of suspicious wildfires continues to grow as authorities are now investigating a series of blazes along Highway 190 this month.
The recent string of fires police are investigating occurred over the past two weekends. Officials are also investigating a brush fire in Waimea that scorched 2,200 acres of land on July 7.
Founders of the nonprofit organization Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, in support of the Hawaii Fire Department, wanted to remind the public of a $5,000 reward fund set up within the foundation 10 years ago. The money rewards those who have information that lead to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for arson.
“Anytime firefighters go out to unnecessary fires, it takes away from something else they could be doing and eats up funding,” Laura Mallery-Sayre, co-founder of the foundation.
The most recent suspicious fire being investigated occurred at 4:30 a.m. July 21. Hawaii Police Maj. Robert Wagner said an abandoned vehicle was found on fire on Highway 190 at mile marker 30.
Several small brush fires were reported in the same area the weekend before that. The first was discovered at about 3:30 p.m. on July 15 at about mile marker 29 on Mamalahoa Highway, also known as the upper road. The second was hours later at 7:45 p.m., a half mile up the road.
The third fire was spotted July 16 at 1:35 p.m. at mile marker 30, north of the Makalei Golf Cours area.
“The last string of fires in the Kona area were all suspicious,” said Hawaii Fire Department Chief Darren Rosario.
The chief added the blazes are similar in nature and could be connected.
When the arson fund was first set up in 2007, the fire department responded to nine brush fires set along the South Kohala coast. The blazes scorched 9,000 acres and threatened homes and nearby resorts.
After the fund was set up, Rosario said, they saw a reduction in suspiciously set fires. Unfortunately, the number of intentionally set fires has crept back up with no conviction results.
In March 2016, the foundation and fire department renewed attention to the fund after about a dozen suspicious fires flared up in West Hawaii.
Since Rosario became chief in 2011, he said, there have been no convictions in arson wildfires.
“They’re hard to solve because we really rely on eye-witness statements,” he said.
Rosario added any evidence left behind at the scene is usually burned up.
“We just want the public to know to be vigilant — call if they see something suspicious,” Rosario said. “Each fire does increase hazards to the community and firefighters.”
The chief said it’s difficult to catch an arsonist.
“You have to have someone step up from the community who saw it or the individual gets caught right away,” Rosario said.
The public is encouraged to report any suspicious activity that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspected arsonist(s).
Rosario encouraged residents to report vehicles and license plate numbers if seen parked along the highway where it’s not a normal place to park. Throwing something out of the vehicle could also cause an intentional fire.
The chief said arsonists will also take to social media.
“An arsonist is a behavioral disorder,” he said. “They’ll make comments on social media because they’re proud of what they did.”
The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation was created by Mallery-Sayre and her husband, Frank Sayre, after the death of their son, Danny, in 1997.
The 25-year-old died during a hiking trip to the back of Pololu Valley near Kapaloa Falls. Because the department didn’t have ropes long enough to repel some 500 feet and other required equipment, 10 hours passed before rescue personnel were able to recover Daniel’s body.
With gifting of equipment and fundraising, the foundation has raised more than $1 million in sponsorships and donations since its creation.
Mallery-Sayre said every time she hears about an intentionally set fire, it feels like their efforts “go up in smoke.”
“It’s a very selfish thing to set fires,” she said.