Brush fire in Hanapepe – Kauaʻi

Posted on Jul 15, 2024 in Hot Topics, Main

County of Kauaʻi Updates:

JULY 16 FINAL UPDATE: Firefighters and partners continue to monitor hotspots; fire 100% contained

FIRE RESPONSE: On Tuesday, Fire personnel with assistance from partners continue to saturate hotspots with air and ground assets in the burned area of West Kaua‘i. Kaua‘i Fire Department officials have confirmed that the Kaumakani and Hanapēpē fire is 100% contained. No homes were destroyed and no injuries reported.
The fire was initially reported near Moi Road in Hanapēpē shortly before noon on Monday. The fire scorched an area estimated at 1,100 acres between Hanapēpē and Kaumakani. Fire Prevention Bureau investigators are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.
With the fire fully contained, the evacuation notice for Kaumakani residents was dropped at approximately 11:55 p.m., Monday. KFD personnel maintained a fire watch throughout Monday night, with N5 sensors installed in Kaumakani and Hanapēpē Heights to detect flare-ups.
SHELTER INFO: The shelters at Waimea High School and Hanapēpē Neighborhood Center were closed as of 5 a.m., Tuesday.
PETS: Officials are advising Kaumakani residents if they are missing their pet, to contact the Kaua‘i Humane Society at 808-632-0610.
ROAD UPDATE: Shortly before 2:55 a.m. on Tuesday, Kaumuali‘i Highway, between Lele Road in Hanapēpē and Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites, was opened for two-way traffic.
KAUMAKANI: Fire officials have confirmed one structure in Kaumakani Camp was destroyed by the fire. It appears to have been a shed with no homes attached.
KIUC INFO: KIUC personnel completed repairs and inspections and restored power to members on the west side shortly after 3 a.m.
WATER NOTICE: As of approximately 6 a.m., the Department of Water (DOW) has lifted its water conservation notice.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: DOH encourages impacted residents and visitors to take appropriate actions to protect against smoke exposure. Additional information to plan, prepare and protect yourself before, during and after a wildfire can be found at the American Lung Association’s website at: https://www.lung.org/…/emergencies-and…/wildfires.
EOC ACTIVATION: The Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Operation Center is now partially activated while fire crews continue to monitor hot spots.
This is the final update expected for this incident.
3:30 P.M. Update: We are receiving reports that some residents were notified of a flash flood warning, today. To clarify, there is no flash flood warning and Kaumakani residents are currently being evacuated due to a fast-moving brush fire in the area. Kaumuali‘i Highway remains closed from Lele Road in Hanapēpē to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites. Updates will be provided when more information is available.
3:25 PM UPDATE: Evacuation shelter open for Kaumakani residents at Waimea High School
The Department of Education has opened a public shelter at Waimea High School for Kaumakani residents.
Area residents in Kaumakani are advised to evacuate the area immediately due a fast-moving brush fire.
Kaumuali‘i Highway is closed from Lele Road in Hanapēpē to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites.
Firefighters and partners continue to respond to this fire.
Updates will be provided when more information is available.
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2:50 PM UPDATE: Evacuation notice alerted for residents in Kaumakani; Kaumuali‘i Highway to be closed from Lele Road in Hanapēpē to Kaumakani
Area residents in Kaumakani are advised to evacuate immediately due to a fast-moving brush fire.
Kaumuali‘i Highway is closed from Lele Road in Hanapēpē to Kaumakani near Aloha Sweet Delites.
Firefighters and partners continue to respond to this fire.
Updates will be provided when more information is available.
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1:30 PM UPDATE: Firefighters responding to brush fire in Hanapēpē
HANAPĒPĒ – Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters, County personnel, and private landowners are currently responding to an estimated 28-acre brush fire in Hanapēpē west of Moi Road.
At this time, there are no reports of threats to housing or road closures. According to fire officials, the fire is moving west, away from the residential neighborhood.
Area residents are advised to monitor local media for updates.
Firefighters with the Hanapēpē, Kalāheo, and Waimea fire stations, Tanker 1, Air 1, Air 2, the Department of Public Works, Gay and Robison with a water tanker, and a private contractor with a dozer are responding to this incident.
Personnel with the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency are also monitoring the fire and supporting this response.
According to a preliminary report, Kaua‘i Police Dispatch received a report of a brush fire west of Moi Road shortly before noon on Monday.
Updates will be provided when more information becomes available

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

UPDATE 3:04 am: KIUC has completed repairs and line inspections. West side loads have been restored. Mahalo for your patience.
UPDATE 9:30 pm: KIUC crews will be working throughout the night to replace damaged poles and lines. Once repairs are complete, all lines must be inspected to ensure we can safely re-energize. There is no estimated time for restoration at this point. We’ll provide an update on our progress no later than 8:00 am tomorrow.
UPDATE 8:45 pm: Approximately 1,100 members are currently out as the members in Kekaha, Mana, Hanapepe, Kaumakani, Pakala and Kokee were de-energized. Waimea will remain powered for the time being in order to support KVMH and the designated west side shelter. Members in Waimea are encouraged to conserve power to the greatest extent possible.
Members without power due to this incident should prepare for an extended outage, as KIUC will not restore power until clearance is provided by KEMA and the Kauai Fire Department, and all poles and lines have been inspected and deemed safe for reenergization.
UPDATE 6:25 pm: In support of ongoing firefighting efforts in Hanapepe, KIUC has de-energized power lines serving portions of Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala. As of 6:30 pm, members in Kekaha, Mana and Kokee will also be de-energized. Power for those members will not be restored until clearance is obtained from the Kauai Emergency Management Agency and the Kauai Fire Department.
Power is being preserved in Waimea in order to support Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and the established emergency shelter at the Waimea Gym. Waimea residents are encouraged to conserve power to the greatest extent possible.
It is important to note that once KIUC receives clearance to restore power, crews will need to inspect poles and lines in the de-energized area before power can be safely restored. Affected members should prepare for extended outages due to this incident.
UPDATE 5:40 pm: Currently there are 378 KIUC members without power in Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala, due to lines that have been de-energized to support firefighting efforts. Power for those members will not be restored until clearance is obtained from the Kauai Emergency Management Agency and the Kauai Fire Department.
In addition, members on the west side from Waimea to Mana and Kokee should be prepared for de-energization should this event continue into the evening. While solar and battery storage units are currently providing power to those areas, those power sources will eventually deplete. Members in Waimea, Kekaha, Mana and Kokee are encouraged to conserve power in the meantime and be prepared for a prolonged outage.
It is important to note that once KIUC receives clearance to restore power, crews will need to inspect lines in the de-energized area before power can be safely restored. Affected members should prepare for extended outages due to this incident.
Some outage preparedness tips follow:
• Protect your appliances and sensitive equipment from power outages and surges that may occur because of bad weather by using surge protectors.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary appliances or equipment.
• Keep a portable battery-powered radio and flashlights on hand with extra batteries.
• In case of loss of power, when the power comes back on and is steady, gradually plug in your appliances.
UPDATE 3:45 pm: KIUC has de-energized lines in Hanapepe, Kaumakani and Pakala due to the brushfire. Approximately 378 members are without power due to this action. The rest of the west side is being powered by other generation sources. There is no timeline for restoration of power for Hanapepe and Kaumakani. Mahalo for your patience and cooperation.

UPDATE 3:45 pm: KIUC has de-energized lines in Hanapepe and Kaumakani due to the brushfire.  The rest of the west side is being powered by other generation sources. There is no timeline for restoration of power for Hanapepe and Kaumakani. Mahalo for your patience and cooperation.

UPDATE 3:21 pm: KIUC is de-energizing its transmission lines from Kaumakani to Mana due to the fire in Hanapepe. All members served by those lines will be without power until further notice. We appreciate your patience and will update this post as more information becomes available.
ALERT: KIUC is deenergizing lines feeding members in Kaumakani as a precaution due to the fire in the area. We will keep you posted here on any additional actions taken. Mahalo for your patience and please follow County of Kauai Facebook posts for general guidance related to the Hanapepe fire.

Kaua’i Department of Water

11:45 A.M. KAPA’A – Water service is being turned off to Akupa Lane and a portion of Ahele Drive for approximately 2 to 3 hours. DOW crew are conducting repairs to a mainline in the area. Mahalo for your patience.