HONOLULU (AP) – A wildfire that has burned forestlands in a remote mountainous area of Central Oahu has moved eastward and away from population centres, Hawaii authorities said, as firefighters continued to battle the blaze.
The flames haven’t threatened homes or property, and no evacuations have been ordered, but they have scorched some native koa and ohia trees. The main part of the fire was about six kilometres (km) from the Mililani Mauka housing area and was headed away from it, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a statement.
Nearly five square km have been burned so far by the blaze, which firefighters have been battling since Monday.
Three Army helicopters were dropping water on the fire, and helicopters from the Honolulu Fire Department and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service also doused flames from the air.
A Hawaii Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation plan released this week said the state has experienced longer droughts during the past 30 years, creating more dangerous conditions for wildfires.
