LIHUE — Firefighters were preoccupied with several spot fires that sparked in the Hanamaulu area in Lihue on Sunday.
Kauai Fire Department (KFD) firefighters responded to several small-scale fires this past weekend while returning from a previous call on Sunday evening.
First responders report, that crews with the Lihue fire station noticed fire activity on the hill behind the industrial area and the Kalepa Village Apartments in Hanamaulu.
Fire crews immediately alerted dispatched and were quickly assisted by additional Lihue personnel, Kapaa fire station crews, and the on-duty Battalion Chief.
Upon arrival, rescue crews witnessed a 100 x 50-foot area of brush and trees on fire, along with several spot fires that spread over a wide area along the Kalepa Ridge dirt bike trail.
Personnel with Rescue 3 used tank water to extinguish the north flank of the fire. At the same time, Lihue and Kapaa firefighters assisted on the ground shuttling water with the north flank being deemed under control and fully extinguished shortly after. Firefighters then set their attention to the fire near the water tank and remained occupied with several hot spots along Kalepa Ridge. They remained on the scene until approximately 10 p.m. when they cleared the scene.
Firefighters returned to the area on Monday, September 16 at approximately 6:15 a.m. to monitor and extinguish a flare-up, the scene was cleared at around 7 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe it was intentionally set.
“Wildfires remain a top concern for communities statewide,” said Kaua‘i Fire Chief Michael Gibson. “There really is no excuse for this type of reckless behavior which is putting lives and property at serious risk. We urge the public for their help in identifying anyone involved in Sunday’s incident.”
Residents with information regarding the fire are urged to contact CrimeStoppers Kauai by calling 808-246-8300. CrimeStoppers Kaua‘i is a non-profit organization that offers cash rewards of up to 1,000 dollars to anyone with information that leads to an arrest.
