Wildfire, Hawaii
- When
- February 1, 12:00 AM HST to February 3, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Hawaii County, 3 mi NW of Laupahoehoe
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wildfire in Hawaii, February 1 to 3, 2001
A brush fire, initially fanned by strong trade winds, burned about 50 acres between Ookala and Laupahoehoe on the Waimea side of the Kaawalii Gulch on the Big Island. Many firefighters from different locales took part in battling the brush fire.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.
A brush fire, initially fanned by strong trade winds, burned about 50 acres between Ookala and Laupahoehoe on the Waimea side of the Kaawalii Gulch on the Big Island. The blaze disrupted traffic between the two towns from time to time, however no homes or other structures were ever threatened by the fire.Many firefighters from different locales took part in battling the brush fire. One water-bucket carrying helicopter was used to assist the men on the ground. No injuries or serious property damage were reported. The cause of the blaze remained unknown, though fire officials speculated that the initial spark may have been from a cigarette tossed away by a passing motorist.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Honolulu, HI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes before
AFDHI HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 830 PM HST WED JAN 31 2001 SUMMARY...LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS WILL PREVAIL INTO THE WEEKEND WITH TRADES STRENGTHENING ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. LITTLE IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO THOUGH SOME SHOWERS WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY THE STRENGTHENING OF THE TRADES OVER THE WEEKEND. DISCUSSION...A WEAK RIDGE REMAINS NORTH OF THE ISLANDS SUSTAINING MOSTLY LIGHT TRADE WINDS OVER OUR REGION. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING NEAR MIDWAY ISLAND NEAR 30N 180 THIS EVENING WILL BE MOVING EASTWARD TO THE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND WEAKEN THE WINDS A TAD. MEANWHILE A HIGH PRESSURE CELL IS DEVELOPING TO THE WEST OF THIS LOW AND WILL FOLLOW ALONG EASTWARD. A SHEARLINE OR FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL BE PUSHED ALONG BY THE HIGH ALONG ITS SOUTHEAST FLANK. THIS HIGH AND THE PRECEDING SHEARLINE WILL BE IN OUR AREA OVER THE WEEKEND TO GIVE US A FEW SHOWERS AND STRENGTHEN THE TRADES COMING IN FROM MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTIONS. THESE GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS WILL BLOW SOME MISTY SHOWERS IN OVER THE ISLANDS. THE TIMING OF THIS SHEARLINE IS STILL A LITTLE UNCERTAIN. IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS FRIDAY NIGHT NEAR KAUAI AND THEN SLOWLY SPREAD DOWN THE CHAIN DURING THE SUCCEDING 24 TO 48 HOURS. GUSTY TRADES AT 15 TO 30 MPH MAY BLOW SOME OF THE MISTY RAIN LEEWARD FROM THE MOUNTAINS AT TIMES ON THE SMALLER ISLANDS. OTHERWISE THE RAIN SHOULD FAVOR MAINLY NORTH AND NORTHEAST FACING SLOPES. SURF WILL BE 10 TO 15 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER SETS ALONG NORTHWEST FACING SHORES DIMINISHING SLOWLY ON THURSDAY. RO6SENDAL .PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE . WATCHES......NONE . ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF NORTHWEST SHORES
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Dense Fog in California, February 1 to 2, 2001
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, February 1, 2001
- Drought in North Carolina, February 1 to 28, 2001
- Drought in South Carolina, February 1 to 28, 2001
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2001
- High Surf in Hawaii, February 1 to 2, 2001
- Drought in Georgia, February 1 to 28, 2001
- Frost and Freeze in California, February 1 to 2, 2001
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 1 to 2, 2001
- Winter Storm in Maine, February 1, 2001
- Dense Fog in Florida, February 1, 2001
- High Wind in Oregon, February 1 to 3, 2001
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, February 2001
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5232853.