UPDATE – (3:20 p.m.) – The Hawaiʻi Fire Department reports the wildland fire was about 10-acres in size and extinguished by 12:42 p.m.  

No structures were involved in the fire, and no civilians were injured, fire officials say. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined. 

UPDATE – (10:45 a.m.) – The wildland fire that was reported burning in South Kohala on Thursday morning has been contained, emergency officials say. 

Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway is open, and Kawaihae Road is open for one lane contra flow, the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reported. 

FIRST REPORT

Webcam photo from ALERTWest’s Situational Awareness Platform showing the fire (dark patch) near Kawaihae Road on Thursday morning

(BIVN) – A Wildfire Watch was issued by the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense on Thursday morning, as a wildland fire burned in South Kohala (corrected district). 

The Wildfire Watch was issued for the Kawaihae Road and Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway Intersection area. 

Kawaihae Road was closed due to the blaze. 

“Please expect traffic delays,” the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense stated. “Avoid the area when possible.” 

courtesy Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense

The fire is occurring in an area that is currently between a D1 Moderate Drought and a D2 Severe Drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map. 

The National Weather Service had this information on projected fire weather conditions in a Thursday morning discussion:

Trade winds will remain in the moderate to locally breezy range into Sunday while a ridge aloft maintains an inversion between 5,500 to 7,000 ft. Under this rather typical August weather pattern, afternoon relative humidity should remain near summertime average on Thursday. Slightly drier conditions are possible Friday into the weekend. As a result, near critical fire weather conditions are expected, though we do not anticipate fire weather headlines at this time.