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Firefighters battle through the night to curb brush fire below old Paia mill

The Maui News – Nineteen firefighters worked through the night to battle a 6-acre brush fire near the old Paia Sugar Mill, bringing it 98 percent contained by 7 a.m. Monday, a fire official said.

The brush fire was reported at 9:02 p.m., with Paia firefighters arriving seven minutes later. The orange glow of the flames could be seen about 100 yards into a field on the Kahului side of Baldwin Avenue, just makai of the mill, said Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto. Light winds were pushing the fire away from homes, so no buildings were in immediate danger, he said.

Because of barricades blocking roads and overgrown brush preventing large fire trucks from traveling on old sugar cane roads, fire crews had a difficult time finding a route to the fire, Taomoto said. After eventually reaching it, firefighters contained it to a 6-acre area of brush and 50-foot-high rows of sugar cane bagasse left over from plantation days, he said.

The fire burned up to Baldwin Avenue and Puakou Place, but it didn’t damage any structures, he said.

Smoke from the fire traveled downwind across the island Sunday night, with Kihei firefighters responding to multiple reports of smoke and a possible fire in the Kihei area, Taomoto said. Kihei firefighters didn’t find a fire but reported light winds and lots of smoke from the Paia brush fire inundating the area from north Kihei to Piilani Highway and through South Kihei Road, he said.

The cause of the brush fire wasn’t determined. A campsite was found near the center of the burned field while firefighters were mopping up, but it wasn’t known whether the campsite was involved in starting the fire, Taomoto said.

Paia, Wailea, Lahaina and Kahului fire crews continued mopping up at the fire scene through the day Monday.

A battalion chief, four engine companies and two water tankers from Paia, Makawao, Kahului and Wailea responded to the fire Sunday night and into Monday morning.

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