HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
NORTH KOHALA PATROL DISTRICT
CAPTAIN LAWRENCE BALBERDE
PHONE: 889-6540
JULY 12, 2005

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

Police have opened a portion of one lane of the Akoni Pule Highway (Route 270) in North Kohala that had been closed because of a brush fire.

A spokesman said that about 10:15 a.m., a single lane was opened between the 13- and 14-mile markers near the Lapakahi State Historical Park, and traffic is being allowed through intermittently.

About 6 a.m. Tuesday (July 12, 2005), police closed about eight miles of the road because of the brush fire.

The road was closed between the seven-mile marker near the Kohala Estates and the 15-mile marker by Mahukona Beach Road, and officers warned motorists to avoid the brush fire area.

At about 7:45 a.m., officers at the scene reported that from 75 to 100 acres of land had been burned or was burning.

There was no immediate estimate of when the highway might be reopened entirely.

# # #