Firefighters from Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), Hawai’i County, and Volunteers, along with bulldozer operators and military helicopter crews from Oahu made progress on Monday fighting the Keamuku Maneuver Area (KMA) Complex fires, which were caused by lightning strikes Sunday.
There are no threats to communities, roads or structures at this time. While the larger of the two fires is a mile from Waiki’i Ranch, the community is protected by a thousand-meter buffer of grazing area that the U.S. Army established between KMA and Waiki’i Ranch.
The smaller fire continues to burn just mauka of Mamalahoa Highway and is about 90 percent contained as of 2:30 p.m. There is a fire break around the entire blaze. The larger fire is about 70 percent contained and is also ringed by a fire break. Five bulldozers are actively deployed to fight the larger fire. Firefighters are also battling this fire. There is no change to the estimated 1,500 acres total burned by both fires.
“We are indebted to our brave firefighters, who have done a great job battling this blaze in a remote and rugged section of the Big Island,” said Hawai’i County Mayor Mitch Roth. “We especially want to thank the military for its assistance in keeping this fire contained.”
Three Army helicopters from the 25th Infantry Division on Oahu, flew in this morning (two UH-60 Blackhawks and one CH-47 Chinook) and assisted with water bucket drops throughout the day. These are in addition to a PTA Medevac helicopter (HH-60) conducting water bucket drop. These helicopters will continue their efforts tomorrow. A Hawai’i County helicopter has also been assisting with bucket drops.
“We truly appreciate the tremendous team effort in fighting this fire – hunters and local residents calling emergency services on Sunday when they saw the lightning strikes and the fire; the Army flight helicopter crews from Oahu; and the firefighters and dozer operators from PTA, County, Volunteers, and Department of Forestry and Wildlife for working throughout the day and night to try and keep the fires contained,” said PTA Commander Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin. “We truly are a team of teams.”
PTA and Civil Defense will continue to ensure the public is kept informed.