Brush Fire Update: Roads Remain Closed Friday Morning

KOHALA – Roads are still closed on Friday morning due to brush fires that burned through parts of South Kohala the day before.

Due to ongoing brush fire operations and hazardous conditions, Hawaii County Civil Defense reports this morning that the following road closures remain in effect:

• Highway 190 in Waimea near the 14 mile mark from the junction with the Daniel K. Inouye Highway or New Saddle Road through the 17 mile mark. Detours are through Waikoloa Road on the Waimea side and Kaiminani Drive in Kona.
• Daniel K Inouye Highway or New Saddle Road from Highwy 190 to junction with Old Saddle Road near Pohakuloa. Detour is through Old Saddle Road.

Fire crews are working to extinguish the fire and open the roads as soon as safe to do so, civil defense reports. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and to use alternate routes

Three separate fires quickly consumed fountain grass along Highway 190 and Saddle Road on Thursday afternoon. Hawaii Fire Department Battalion Chief Gantry Andrade told West Hawaii Today that the fires were suspicious and appeared to have started in five different locations. Hundreds of acres have burned so far.