Some quick action up in the Lumaha‘i Valley Monday morning likely stopped a brush fire from burning out of control, witnesses said. Coming just hours after a large brush fire in Wailua had been contained, Jonathan Herbst said if Robert
Some quick action up in the Lumaha‘i Valley Monday morning likely stopped a brush fire from burning out of control, witnesses said.
Coming just hours after a large brush fire in Wailua had been contained, Jonathan Herbst said if Robert Pa had not arrived when he did, “thousands of acres would have burned.”
Pa said he was pulling out from his home in his Takeuchi (a vehicle like a Bobcat) and was told about the fire. “I shot down there and used the track loader to make a barrier around it (the fire).”
Pa said he then used the machine to peel fuel away from the fire. He used no water. He was uninjured, but said it was extremely hot.
Pa said there were others on the scene trying to contain the fire as well.
Herbst, who has experience as an emergency firefighter on the Big Island, said he began directing traffic while Pa was fighting the fire.
“Robert was in the middle of all that smoke, making lines with his tractor. I was afraid he might get hit by a car.”
Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters from the Princeville fire station were also on the scene, and contained what remained of the blaze.
Pa said the public has to be vigilant about not throwing cigarette butts out vehicle windows, especially in dry areas prone to brush fires. Pa said he felt police had to be vigilant about this matter, and enforce laws about littering that might lead to property damage if cigarette butts are determined to be the cause of recent brush fires.
