Yesterday, firefighters from Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), Hawai’i County, and volunteers, along with bulldozer operators and military helicopter crews from Oʻahu made progress fighting the Keamuku Maneuver Area (KMA) Complex fires, which were caused by lightning strikes Sunday.

As of yesterday afternoon, there were no threats to communities, roads or structures. While the larger of the two fires is fairly close to the Waiki’i Ranch, the community is protected by a thousand-meter buffer of grazing area that the U.S. Army established.

As of 2:3pm on Monday, the smaller fire, which is mauka of Mamalahoa Highway was about 90 percent contained. The larger fire was about 70 percent contained. There was no change to the estimated 1,500 acres total burned by both fires.

Three Army helicopters (two UH-60 Blackhawks and one CH-47 Chinook) from the 25th Infantry Division on Oʻahu flew in and assisted with water bucket drops. A PTA Medevac helicopter (HH-60) and a Hawai’i County helicopter also assisted with bucket drops.

In a press release Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth said, “We are indebted to our brave firefighters, who have done a great job battling this blaze in a remote and rugged section of the Big Island. We especially want to thank the military for its assistance in keeping this fire contained.”

Photo credit: PTA