- Hawaii Police Department - https://www.hawaiipolice.com -

Brush Fire Request 08/09/99

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION
MAJOR CHARLES M. CHAI JR.
PHONE: 961-2247
AUGUST 9, 1999

MEDIA RELEASE

Big Island police are asking for the public’s help in identifying possible suspects who may be setting fires maliciously in the districts of Kohala and Ka’u.

Firefighters currently are fighting two major brush fires in West Hawaii and as of Monday morning (August 9, 1999) had contained them both.

The first blaze has burned about 10,000 acres mauka in the Puuanahulu area on the border of South Kohala and North Kona, at about the 14-mile marker of Mamalahoa Highway (Route 190).

The second has burned about 1,000 acres in Ka’u at about the 58-mile marker on the mauka side of Hawaii Belt Road (Route 11), an area between Punaluu and Honuapu.

The west side of the Big Island is suffering from extreme drought conditions and has been plagued by a rash of recent brush fires, some of which fire personnel suspect may be malicious in nature.

Because of the drought conditions, open field burning has been banned in all districts except North and South Hilo and Puna.

Police are asking that anyone who has witnessed or may witness suspicious activity in the area of brush fires to call them at 935-3311.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. The numbers are answered 24 hours a day. Callers will be given a coded number and their identity will remain anonymous. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if their call leads to an arrest, indictment or the recovery of property. Crime Stoppers neither subscribes to “Caller ID,” nor does it record phone calls.

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