Two brushfires have broken out in North and South Kohala which are being actively monitored by Hawai'i County officials. Several areas of Kohala have been evacuated as a result.
Hawai'i County mayor Mitch Roth took to Facebook to keep the citizens of the island updated. "Hawai'i County officials are monitoring two active brushfires in North and South Kohala -- one in the North Kohala District off Akoni Pule Highway (Highway 270) near Kohala Ranch and the other in the South Kohala District in Waimea."
Roth continued to update on the social media site by telling people that a section, between mile markers six and seven, would be closed on Highway 270 and that Kohala Mountain Road had reopened after fallen trees had been cleared.
Hawai'i County officials are monitoring two active brushfires in North and South Kohala, Mayor Mitch Roth said in an update. Akoni Pule Highway (HWY 270) has been closed from Mile Marker 6 to 17, and Queen K. Highway between Mile Marker 69 and Kawaihae Road Junction has also been closed until further notice.
"Due to the proximity of the fires to various structures, Hisaoka Gym in Kapa'ua and the Waimea Community Center in Waimea have opened as evacuation shelters," said Mayor Roth. "A mandatory evacuation was called for in the Kohala Ranch area, and 2 residents have taken shelter at Hisaoka Gymnasium."
Mandatory evacuations have been enacted for the regions situated to the north and south of Ala Kahua Street, as well as Kohala By the Sea, Kohala Waterfront, and Kohala Estates. An official update from Mayor Roth indicated the emergence of additional fires in the vicinity of Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach.
In a following update, Mayor Roth explained a fire at Lala Mino appeared to have been brought under control, covering an area of 20 acres. However, the fire adjacent to the Akoni Pule Highway was still in the process of being completely controlled, spanning an estimated 1,000 acres as per the most recent report. Mayor Roth also noted the occurrence of two novel fires, which conceivable could have merged into a single blaze, which originated near the Monica and Hawaii Telephone Road close to Queen Cave.