Division of Forestry and Wildlife

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

For Immediate News Release February 17, 2016     

STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS SEEK HELP IN BIG ISLAND WILDFIRES
Arson is a Possibility

(HILO) – A series of wildfires in the Puuanahulu area of Hawaii Island over the past week have prompted fire and police officials to ask people using the region to report any suspicious activity.

The latest fire sparked a little after midnight today, south of the Kona hunter check station in the Puuanahulu Game Management Unit.  Fire crews were able to extinguish the small brush fire quickly.  A county fire department investigator was called to the scene to look at the possibility this fire and three others over the past week were set intentionally.

More than 775 acres of mostly brush and grass burned, starting last Thursday in the same area.  The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) reports these fires are contained, though there may be occasional smoke from the interior.

DOFAW, the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and the Hawaii County Fire and Police Departments encourage anyone with information on these fires, or anyone who spots unusual activity in the Puuanahulu area to call 9-1-1 or 643-DLNR.

Media Contact:

Dan Dennison
Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
Senior Communications Manager
Office of the Chairperson-Communications Office
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 587-0407

[email protected]