Firefighters continued Monday to battle two wildfires that the Army said began as the result of lightning strikes on Sunday afternoon at the Army's Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island.
PTA spokeswoman Amy Phillips said local hunters witnessed the lightning strikes starting the fires and then contacted Army officials. The strikes started two fires at Pohakuloa's Keamuku Maneuver Area east of Highway 190, which officials have called the KMA Complex fire.
Officials said Monday afternoon that the smaller of the two fires by Highway 190 is 90 % contained while the larger fire in the interior hills is about 70 % contained. Between the two, approximately 1, 500 acres have been burned. Army officials said.
“PTA, county, and volunteer firefighters are partnering to fight the fires and battling the on-going strong trade winds, ” the Army said in a news release.
U.S. Army and Hawaii County helicopters have been supporting firefighters on the ground while bulldozers have been building fire lines to mitigate the spread of the flames. According to the news release, PTA leadership called Monday for three more Army military helicopters (two UH-60 Black Hawks and a CH-47 Chinook ) from the 25th Infantry Division's 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield to support with water bucket drops.
“These helicopters will continue their efforts tomorrow, ” officials said, adding that a Hawaii County helicopter…
