UPDATE – (4:42 p.m.) – The County of Hawaiʻi reports South Point Road in Kaʻu is now open to all traffic. “Motorists in the area, please drive with caution as Fire personnel and equipment are still on scene,” officials said. 

(BIVN) – A brush fire is burning along South Point Road in Kaʻū District, Hawaiʻi County emergency officials reported on Thursday afternoon. 

Police said South Point Road, south of Kamaʻoa Road, was closed until further notice. Officials say no structures are at risk, and the fire has been successfully contained to the east of the highway.

The County said that first responders were dispatched to the scene at approximately 2:15 p.m. HST.

In a news release, the County of Hawaiʻi provided the following information:

At the time of the fire, approximately 20 vehicles were located south of the fire’s path. Due to the swift and coordinated actions of both police and fire personnel, all vehicles were safely escorted out of the area, and no injuries have been reported. We are pleased to confirm that no structures or lives are currently at risk.

The fire, however, continues to pose a threat to livestock and pasturelands in the area. Local ranchers are on-site and actively assisting fire crews in safeguarding these resources. The fire has been successfully contained to the east of the highway, and firefighting efforts are now focused on preventing its spread to the west. An estimate of the acreage affected is around 30 acres at this time. Assessments will continue as the situation progresses.

Sustained winds of 19 mph, with gusts of up to 24 mph, have presented challenges to firefighting operations, but crews remain dedicated to containing and extinguishing the fire. The Department of Public Works is also on site with tanker trucks to assist.

The Hawaiʻi County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been partially activated to support the response and coordinate resources as necessary. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to the public as more information becomes available.

“We extend our gratitude to the first responders, ranchers, and community members for their cooperation and support during this time,” the Countyn added. “The safety and well-being of our residents remain our top priority, and we will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our community.”