HI-CNTY- Kekaha 12 Fire. 1000 acres. 20% (Hawaii)

Sunday, August 19, 2012

HI-CNTY- Kekaha 12 Fire. 1000 acres. 20% (Hawaii)

C O U N T Y O F K A U A I - KAUA‘I FIRE DEPARTMENT

News Release

For Immediate Release: August 19, 2012
ROBERT WESTERMAN, CHIEF
Tel (808) 241-4980
Fax (808) 241-6508

Crews work to contain Kokee wildfire

KOKEE – Crews continue to make steady progress in fighting the wildfire along the Pokii, Paua and Waiaka ridges in Kokee today.

Fire Chief Robert Westerman estimates the fire is roughly 20% contained. While the fire remains to be around 1,000 acres in size, crews have now secured a perimeter around the blaze, giving them the upper hand on suppression efforts.

“We are very grateful for everyone’s support, particularly the Pacific Missile Range Facility,” said Chief Westerman. “With the addition of their personnel and equipment, we were able to save the water pump house located on the east side of the fire. This pump house provides water to the entire Waimea community.”

Power to that pump house has since been fully restored; however, there is one more tank that remains without power this morning. As a precautionary measure, the water conservation request remains in effect for the Kekaha community.

Chief Westerman has confirmed that crews from the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) will now be allowed into certain areas to inspect and repair any damage to power lines. At this time, power to the Kokee area remains down and therefore the voluntary evacuation for residents and businesses in Kokee continues through at least today.

Kokee Road also remains closed and access to Waimea Canyon Drive is limited to residents only.

“We are making progress in fighting the blaze, but we are in an area of very dry brush where spot fires can easily ignite,” added Chief Westerman. “It is crucial that fires are completely extinguished before we allow people back into the area. We understand the inconvenience this has posed to our community but safety is our number one priority.”

Roughly 40 personnel from multiple agencies, including: the Kauai Fire Department; the Department of Public Works; the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR); the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF); and private contractors continue to work together in battling the blaze that began shortly after midnight on Friday.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Bambi Bucket Working Kokee Fire
Credit: Brian Howell
http://www.flickr.com/photos/inter-island_helicopters/7819982424/

####CFN - California Fire News 2012

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Sunday, August 19, 2012