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Fire scorches half-acre of Molokai brush

A Hoolehua resident burned green waste near a home and thought it was extinguished, but the blaze rekindled and burned about half an acre Saturday before Molokai firefighters put it out, Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said.

Hoolehua and Kaunakakai firefighters responded to a report of a fire at 1:20 p.m. Initially, it was reported as a structural fire, but when firefighters arrived they saw it was a brush fire, he said.

The blaze in a Hawaiian homestead area was west of Farrington and Puupeelua avenues. At first, firefighters estimated about a quarter of an acre was burning, but by the time they had it under control it had doubled its size. The nearest structure was about 200 feet away, Taomoto said.

The fire’s cause was ruled as accidental, he said. The were no reported property damages or injuries.

The blaze was under control at 1:38 p.m. and extinguished by 2:54 p.m.

An engine company from Hoolehua and engine and tanker crews from Kaunakakai responded to the scene.

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