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Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona took an aerial survey of Molokai's charred landscape as a brush fire continued through its fourth day Tuesday, claiming an estimated total of more than 8,000 acres and burning in a remote forest area.

After seeing how close flames came to the edges of Kaunakakai, Aiona said, he could see how flames even surrounded some structures, which nevertheless escaped damage.

"It came right up to the perimeter of quite a few homes," he said, after taking a 30- to 40-minute helicopter ride to view the brush fire's damage. "You could see how it was right along the edge of the highway and along the edge of a lot of those homes in Kaunakakai."

One structure, a commercial building or perhaps a church, "was charred right around the whole building," he said. "It was amazing."

Fortunately, he said, none of the structures he saw had burned, although one garage had been damaged and one abandoned structure had been burned earlier during the brush fire that started around noon Saturday.

"The firefighters and the residents did a good job," Aiona said, as five helicopters continued dumping water on the fire in hot spots and in a remote forest area.

The fire "seems to be no immediate threat to public safety, property and lives," the lieutenant governor said. Firefighters are "doing the best they can on the ground as well as in the air."

But Aiona said no one could tell him when the fire might be brought under control.

"They're working on it," he said. "They're doing a great job."

Late on Tuesday, Travis Taylor, Aiona's director of communications, said Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Laura Thielen had requested and been granted the deployment of two National Guard Chinook helicopters to help fight the fire. He said the helicopters should begin dumping loads of water on the blaze today.

Aiona said the fire has left massive areas of charred landscape above Kaunakakai.

"It goes up the mountain, up the slopes," he said. "It seems whatever was in its path was destroyed."

Maui County Civil Defense Administrator Gen Iinuma said the fire had burned more than 12 square miles as of Tuesday.

Molokai schools that had closed Monday were reopened Tuesday. Students and school staff members had difficulty getting to schools because of road closures needed to move fire personnel and equipment on the island.

Early on Tuesday afternoon, the most active area of burning was in a forest area above and to the west of Kawela Plantation, Iinuma said.

"That's where we're focusing a lot of our attention on," he said.

The fire was making its way through the fire's undergrowth, aided by wind that was gaining strength Tuesday afternoon, Iinuma said. Dry conditions also were working in favor of the brush fire.

But no homes were threatened, he said, and firefighters were monitoring hot spots, especially populated areas near unburned brush.

Homes in Kawela were being protected by firebreaks, he said.

The fire threatened an area that abuts land owned by the Nature Conservancy, and "we put a lot of helicopter support there," Iinuma said.

Grady Timmons, communications director for the Nature Conservancy, said the fire entered the southwest corner of the Kamakou Preserve, which has non-native pine trees.

"It's burning there," he said Tuesday afternoon. "But it's not endangering any native resources at this time."

Fire trenches were dug to try to protect the 2,774-acre forest preserve, he said.

"We're encouraged at this point," Timmons said.

The preserve has more than 200 native plants, many of them rare and endangered.

More than two dozen Maui County firefighters were working Tuesday, with crews being rotated in and out "to keep people healthy and fresh," Iinuma said.

Haleakala National Park dispatched a five-member fire crew to help on Molokai, according to park officials.

Those firefighters were joined by crews from the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

"We are glad that we are able to lend a hand to neighboring agencies," said Joe Molhoek, the National Park Service's Pacific Island Fire Management officer. "It is good to know in time of need people will come together to malama the resources."

Iinuma said support from Molokai residents also has been "extremely terrific."

"There's been a lot of cooperation," with residents bringing firefighters food, water and other support, he said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

* Brian Perry can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com.