Hawaii, 2003

Wildfire in Hawaii, November 2 to 3, 2003

November 2 to 3, 2003 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A brush fire, of an unknown but suspicious origin, burned 100 acres of mainly trees and grass near Koko Crater at the Koko Head District Park. The blaze came within 25 feet of a dozen homes at the foot of the crater but was controlled by firefighters and residents before being able to do any damage.

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.

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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, of an unknown but suspicious origin, burned 100 acres of mainly trees and grass near Koko Crater at the Koko Head District Park. The blaze came within 25 feet of a dozen homes at the foot of the crater but was controlled by firefighters and residents before being able to do any damage. Six engine companies with 45 personnel, a helicopter, and a tanker were used to contain the fire. No serious injuries were reported.

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 Nov 2, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 2, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST SUN NOV 2 2003

.SYNOPSIS...ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE MOVING OVER THE STATE CARRIED BY
THE LIGHT TRADE WINDS. THE TRADE WINDS WILL INCREASE A BIT TO
MODERATE LEVELS BY MONDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK. SHOWERS
WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SECTIONS AT TIMES.

&&

.DISCUSSION...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS BUILDING...BUT BY MID WEEK IT
SHIFTS SOUTHWARD TO A POSITION NOT FAR TO THE NORTH OF HAWAII. THE
TRADE WINDS AND TRADE WIND INVERSION ARE ESTABLISHED AND THE
ATMOSPHERE IS THEREFORE MORE STABLE. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT
WILL STRENGTHEN SOME AND INCREASE TRADES MONDAY BUT NOT STRONGLY DUE
TO THIS SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF BOTH THE UPPER HIGH AND SURFACE HIGH.
ADDITIONALLY THE MAIN WEATHER ACTIVITY BY TUESDAY IS THE
STRENGTHENING TROUGH BETWEEN MIDWAY AND HAWAII OR ABOUT 1000 MILES
WEST OF THE STATE. THIS HAS THE EFFECT OF BLUNTING THE WESTERN END
OF THE SURFACE RIDGE AND RESTRICTING IT TO 300 MILES OR LESS
NORTHWEST OF THE STATE.

THE USUAL TRADE WIND WEATHER IS EXPECTED
THIS WEEK WITH PASSING CLOUDS AND LIGHT SHOWERS AFFECTING MAINLY THE
WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS. NO CHANGES EXPECTED IN THE NEXT ISSUANCE
FORECAST PRODUCTS.

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

HOAG

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Honolulu

When
November 2, 11:30 AM HST to November 3, 7:30 PM HST
Where
Honolulu County, Hawaii Kai
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, November 2003

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: 5327805.