Image from video by Daryl Lee

UPDATE – (10:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 29)

• As a result of today’s brush fire in the Ookala area, emergency officials said Old Mamalahoa Highway will be closed throughout the night between Niu Village Rd. and Kukui Village Rd.
• Police advise residents to use the northern entry of Old Mamalahoa Highway from Hawaii Belt Road (Highway 19) to access Kukui Village Rd., Milo St. and Milo Place.
• Officials called for an evacuation of households west of ʻOʻokala graveyard road on Friday afternoon, as a precaution due to the approach of the fire. By 8 p.m., the fire threat had significantly decreased, allowing residents that evacuated to return home.
• Hawaiʻi Fire Department personnel will be on the roadway to monitor hotspots. “We ask everybody to please keep the firefighters in mind when they’re driving around the area,” said Deputy Fire Chief Eric Moller as he spoke to media at the scene of the fire.

Image from video by Daryl Lee