Kaumakani, HI, Residents Return after Brush Fire Contained
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
(TNS)
Kauai County lifted evacuation orders for Kaumakani residents overnight and power was restored to the area after the brushfire that burned about 1, 000 acres Monday was fully contained by firefighters.
The fire, which began about midday, spread quickly throughout Monday leading authorities to open two emergency shelters. A total of about 150 people went to the shelters at Waimea High School and Hanapepe Neighborhood Center, which remained opened this morning after the evacuation orders were lifted.
Kaua ‘i Island Utility Cooperative, which shut off power to about 1, 000 members in Kekaha, Mana, Kokee Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala, restored electricity service at about 3 a.m.
Kaumualii Highway, which was closed Monday between Lele Road in Hanapepe and Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites, was reopened for one lane of alternating traffic late last night, officials said.
The county Department of Water has lifted the conservation notice for Hanapepe, Waimea and Kekaha customers as of 6 a.m. and officials said customers may now resume normal water use.
Kauai Fire Department officials planned to conduct air and ground assets of the burn area this morning.
MONDAY 9 :30 p.m.
Kaua ‘i Island Utility Cooperative said its crews will be working throughout the night to replace damaged poles and lines. Once repairs are complete, all lines must be inspected to ensure they can safely reenergize. KIUC said there is no estimated time for restoration at this point.
9 p.m.
About 1, 100 members of the Kaua ‘i Island Utility Cooperative are without power and one structure was burned as the Hanapepe-area fire continued Monday night.
County officials said the burned structure was a stand-alone shed in Kaumakani Camp, where firefighters are working to extinguish hotspots.
Kaumakani residents have been advised to evacuate and Kauai police have gone door-to-door to evacuate over 200 homes.
Two emergency shelters remain open for evacuees. There were about 120 people at Waimea High, and roughly 30 people at the Hanapepe shelter.
The fire has burned about 1, 000 acres between Hanapepe and Kaumakani and was about 60 % contained as of about 8 :20 p.m.. Air assets have been suspended due to nightfall and will resume Tuesday morning but ground crews will continue to fight the wildfire through the night, Kauai authorities said.
The 1, 100 KIUC members without power are in Kekaha, Mana, Kokee Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala.
7 :40 p.m.
The fast-moving brushfire on Kauai has burned about 1, 000 acres between Hanapepe and Kaumakani as of Monday evening and is threatening multiple structures, according to county officials who advise Kaumakani residents to evacuate immediately.
Kauai police officers are conducting door-to-door evacuations, authorities said.
Kaumualii Highway remains closed from Lele Road in Hanapepe to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites., where the Kauai Bus is on standby to evacuate residents.
Two emergency shelters are open at Waimea High School and Hanapepe Neighborhood Center. The Kalaheo Neighborhood Center shelter has been closed.
County officials said evacuees who need shelter and are west of the road closure should go to Waimea High School, while those east of the road closure, should go to the Hanapepe Neighborhood Center.
Officials also confirmed that all children have been picked up from Summer Fun locations in the area.
Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative said they have de-energized power lines serving Kekaha, Mana and Kokee to upport firefighting efforts. Earlier in the day, they had cut power to portions of Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala.
Power is still on in Waimea to support Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and the emergency shelter in Waime. Waimea residents are encouraged to conserve power.
5 :55 p.m.
A total of 378 Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative members were without power in Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala as of 5 :40 p.m., after power lines were “de-energized to support firefighting efforts. “
KIUC officials said power will not be restored until clearance is obtained from the Kauai Emergency Management Agency and the Kauai Fire Department.
Affected members should prepare for extended outages due to this incident, they said.
They also said cooperative members from Waimea to Mana and Kokee should be prepared for power shutoffs into the evening. And members in Waimea, Kekaha, Mana and Kokee were encouraged to conserve power and prepare for a prolonged outage.
5 :45 p.m.
Kauai County officials have opened a second emergency shelter as firefighters battle a fast-moving brushfire in Hanapepe.
The county opened a shelter or Kaumakani residents under an evacuation notice at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, officials said late this afternoon. Earlier in the day, the state Department of Education opened a shelter for Kaumakani residents at Waimea High School.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross are at both locations.
County officials said because of the closure of Kaumualii Highway, from Lele Road in Hanapepe to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Deletes, Summer Fun staff will remain at the Kekaha location with the participants until the highway reopens.
The Kauai Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Operation Center has been fully activated.
Kauaii police asked the public to call 911 only for emergencies, and not for updates on the fire. “Dispatchers are being inundated with too many calls, ” county officials said.
5 p.m.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke has issued an emergency proclamation as Kauai firefighters battle a fast-moving brushfire in Hanapepe that has led to evacuations, power shutoffs and the opening of an emergency shelter at Waimea High School.
“This proclamation authorizes the use of government resources to protect public health and safety, property and natural resources, ” according to a news release from the governor’s office. “It authorizes the Adjutant General to activate the Hawaii National Guard to deploy state resources, as needed, to aid in fire suppression and evacuation.
“It also suspends laws that might impede or delay the execution of emergency functions.”
Kauai firefighters and other county personnel, as well as private landowners, began responding to the estimated 28-acre brush fire in Hanapepe west of Moi Road before noon today, the release said.
The county’s Department of Water also issued a water conservation notice for customers from Hanapepe to Kekaha until further notice. “Customers are advised to limit water use to essential needs only to avoid a water service outage, ” officials said.
3 :45 p.m.
The state Department of Education has opened an emergency shelter at Waimea High School for Kaumakani residents who are under an evacuation order due to a fast-moving brushfire, Kauai County officials said.
Separately, the Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative said it is de-energizing its transmission lines from Hanapepe and Kaumakani due to the fire. “All members served by those lines will be without power until further notice, ” KIUC said.
“The rest of the west side is being powered by other generation sources. There is no timeline for restoration of power for Hanapepe and Kaumakani, ” officials said.
2 :50 p.m.
Kauai County officials have issued an evacuation notice for residents in Kaumakani. Kaumualii Highway will be closed from Lele Road in Hanapepe to Kaumakani.
“Area residents in Kaumakani are advised to evacuate the area immediately due a fast-moving brush fire. Kaumuali’i Highway is closed from Lele Road in Hanapepe to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites, ” according to a statement.
Firefighters and partners are responding to the fire.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE Kauai County officials say firefighters and private landowners are currently battling a brushfire estimated at 28 acres in Hanapepe.
Police dispatch received a report of the brushfire west of Moi Road shortly before noon today.
There are no reports of threats to housing or road closures at this time, officials said. The fire is moving west, away from the residential neighborhood.
The Kauai Fire Department has mobilized firefighters from the Hanapepe, Kalaheo, and Waimea fire stations, along with Tanker 1 and the Air 1 and Air 2 helicopters.
The Department of Public Works has also responded and is getting assistance from a Gay and Robinson water tanker and a dozer from a private contractor.
Officials advise area residents to monitor local media for updates. The Department of Education has opened a public shelter at Waimea High School for Kaumakani residents.
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