Crews make significant progress, Koke‘e fire 85% contained

HONOLULU (KHON2) — After a dedicated effort spanning several days, multiple fire units began scaling back operations Saturday night following successful containment of approximately 85% of the wildfire near Koke‘e.

The response, initiated on Thursday, involved a coordinated effort by ground and air crews amidst challenging conditions.

Overnight, a vigilant fire watch was maintained, and Sunday morning saw the return of various crews to focus on final suppression efforts and ensuring all remaining hot spots are fully extinguished.

Ground crews from the Kauai Fire Department and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, including the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and Division of Forestry and Wildlife, will remain onsite Sunday.

Air assets and additional ground resources are on standby if required.

As of now, there have been no reported injuries, and no structures are currently under threat from the fire.

Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami emphasized the resilience of the response teams amidst a series of recent fire incidents.

“I can’t thank our team enough for their diligent and unified response to this wildfire incident,” said Mayor Kawakami. “Mahalo to all of our partners including the Hawaii National Guard, PMRF, multiple state, county, and private entities, and several community organizations who stayed on scene with us for several days.”

The Kauai Emergency Operations Center remains partially activated under a unified command structure to oversee ongoing operations and ensure comprehensive monitoring of the situation.

Road closures remain in effect with Waimea Canyon Drive closed in both directions, while Koke‘e Road remains open to traffic.

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Updates will continue to be provided as new information becomes available to the public.