What are my risks?

Drought conditions on Kaua'i prompted three brush fires in August 2000 alone. The first brush fire involved a four-acre fire that nearly reached Kaua'i High School before it was stopped following a five-hour battle.

The second fire had firefighters extinguishing burning logs from a fire that charred 100 acres near Kaumuali'i Highway about one mile west of Halfway Bridge.

The third brush fire in less than a week had blackened seven acres of grass in a valley located south of the Kaumuali'i Highway and the Puhi Bypass Road. The fire started after sparks from a plantation harvesting operation on the mountain side of the highway floated to the ocean side of the highway. Wind estimated at 20 miles per hour carried the sparks to the valley and ignited the grass.

A fire of unknown origin also charred five acres of brush on a sloped areas behind the Kukui Grove golf course in March 2000. Two fires in this area and dry weather conditions in Koke'e prompted the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to close forest and park lands there.

Kauai County Fire Department suggests ways to reduce your risk from brush fires during the drought season. Owners of large, vacant lots should cut down high grass, and maintain road access to their lots and within the lots where fires may erupt. Landowners need to be on top of the management of these lands. To help combat future brush fires, the fire department will use a $55,000 grant from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife to buy a four-wheel-drive brush vehicle equipped with a mini pumper, a water tank and other equipment.