KOKE‘E – A two-story Koke‘e cabin burned to the ground Sunday and roughly 1⁄4-acre of the abutting state forest was also consumed by the fire, a county news release states. The home was located in the vicinity of mile marker
KOKE‘E – A two-story Koke‘e cabin burned to the ground Sunday and roughly 1⁄4-acre of the abutting state forest was also consumed by the fire, a county news release states.
The home was located in the vicinity of mile marker 13 on a dirt road in an area known as Pu‘u Ka Pele.
No one was in the cabin when the fire broke out and no one was injured, the release states. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage to the cabin and its contents is estimated to be roughly $250,000.
A nearby cabin located some 200 feet away was not affected by the fire due to Sunday night’s relatively calm weather and the cabin owner watering down his home along with the surrounding area.
Engine 7, Truck 7, Engine 6, Truck 6, Engine 5, Truck 5 and Rescue 3 responded to the 5:34 p.m. alarm.
The firefighters were only able to drive the smaller trucks to the scene of the fire due to the road being very narrow, the release states. The engines had to be parked at a nearby pavilion parking lot and were used to shuttle water from fire hydrants located about a mile away at the Koke‘e State Park.
Initially, the fire was deemed under control at around 10 p.m. and the firefighters were on their way back to their stations when Engine 7 and Truck 7 were called back to put out hotspots that flared up in the forest. The fire was fully extinguished at approximately midnight, the release states.
With the current drought conditions, fire officials are asking residents and visitors to exercise caution.
Some of the fire prevention tips offered by the Kaua’i Fire Department include:
— Don’t throw lighted cigarettes out of a car window.
— Don’t park vehicles on dry grass.
— Never leave a fire unattended.
For more information about fire prevention, call the Prevention Bureau at 241-4985.
