Water is sprayed on the roots of a tree to ensure fire is no longer smoldering inside during a daily patrol in Olinda on Oct. 5. Photo courtesy DLNR

The Maui News

Daily patrols for hot spots and still-smoking areas are continuing Upcountry, two months after the start of the roughly 1,000-acre Olinda fire.

Every day, crews with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife drive a brush truck around the perimeter of the fire numerous times. Much of the route is along fire breaks created by bulldozers to keep the fire from spreading. Devices like portable heat detectors help find still-smoldering logs, trunks and trees. When hot areas are detected, the heat detector emits a loud, screeching sound.

“It’s one of the tools we have available as we do these daily fire watches,” DOFAW’s Bill Evanson explained in a news release Friday.

Even into October, conditions in the area remain very dry, with trees that survived the fire appearing stressed due to lack of rain, DLNR said.

“Normally, we’d begin seeing some rainy season precipitation, but this year it’s incredibly dry. It doesn’t take much to ignite fires in these conditions,” Evanson said.

During their patrols on Thursday, the crew discovered a large eucalyptus tree that was scorched from top to bottom and still had wisps of smoke escaping at ground level. The crew emptied the tanker’s entire 300 gallons of water on the hot spot before refilling it at a nearby hydrant and continuing fire watch.

“Due to the heightened awareness and sensitivity about wildfire now, we want to ensure that this fire is out cold,” Evanson said.

He says he’s not surprised to find fire still smoldering deep into the roots of trees.

“These are the stubborn ones that require trained noses and eyes to ferret out,” Evanson said.

Fire agencies across the state are encouraging people to exercise extreme caution to avoid igniting wildfires.

“Climate change is real,” DOFAW Administrator David Smith said. “We’re seeing it around us and unfortunately in tragic ways, given the loss of life and property devastation in Lahaina. No one wants to see a repeat of that.”