Hawai‘i Island police have launched an arson investigation following several Hawaiian Ocean View Estates brush fires that started under suspicious circumstances.

On Monday, the Hawai‘i County Fire Department received a report of a brush fire near King Kamehameha Boulevard between Luau Drive and Coral Parkway. When crews arrived on scene, they learned that three smaller fires had been extinguished by a passersby prior to their arrival.

A short time later, HFD received another report of a brush fire in the same area which was quickly brought under control and extinguished by responding fire crews. No injuries were reported and no property loss was sustained.

During the course of investigation, authorities learned that a man wearing brown shorts and no shirt was seen in the area of where the fires began.

It is also undetermined if these fires are directly related to a February 21 residential fire that destroyed a home on Paradise Parkway and burned brush on adjacent properties. While investigating the February structure fire, police learned the homeowner reported seeing a man on her property shortly before the fire started.

Both fires are actively being investigated by Hawai‘i Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigation Section and Hawai‘i Fire Department investigators.

Anyone with information regarding these fires is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118; or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.