Honolulu Oahu - Waianae Wildfire 1,000+ acres, Precautionary Evacuations

 The Honolulu Fire Department is working to put out the largest wildfire on Oahu this year.

 Waianae wildfire near a military base off Lualualei Homestead Road.  Source: Carroll Cox

Evacuation Info:
Precautionary Evacuations: Residents in the area were urged to evacuate homes.
Shelter: The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Waianae District Park for affected residents.


Start: 1300 hrs Monday
Situation: Fire crews have contained the lower part of the fire, located deep in the valley. However, the fire located in the higher spots are causing a problem for firefighters. Officials say the situation may become dangerous if wind speeds pick up in the area.
Agency: Honolulu Fire Department HFD crews are monitoring the hot spots and have resumed helicopter water drops Tuesday morning. Twenty-one fire crews and six water tanks were called to the scene. About 100 firefighters, some from stations as far away as Kakaako and Manoa, assisted in Monday's efforts.
Location: Honolulu - Fire started near a military base off Lualualei Homestead Road. It then spread over the hill and surrounded more than a dozen homes near Haleahi Road.
ROS: Slow but wind-driven at start - Fire officials say the slow-moving ridge fire scorched about 1,000 acres of land. "I've lived here the majority of my life and we've survived fires, but I've never seen a fire move so fast, so fast as it did today because of the winds out here. This mountain burned in five minutes, the whole mountain went off," (1)Waianae resident Lori Carlos said.

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