The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-15
THE HANAKUA CANE FIRES WILL LADJOURN TOMORROW
STILL RAGING THOUGH CANE is
SAFE.
Now Burning in the Mountains-May
Spread to Waimea-Rain Alone Can
Entirely Stop 1t.

The big fire in Hamakua seems to be
raging still, though the danger to the
canefields seems to be considered at an
end. The fire now is raging in the
mountain forests, with some prospect
of getting over into the Waimea region
Purser George Beckley said they
could see some smoke rising in the
mountains as they passed along the
Hamakua coast. But passengers en-
barking from Hamakua points seemed
to think the danger to the cane was
past.
Among several theories as to the ori-
gin of the fire the one most generally
believed is that a native homesteader
above Ookala plantation started a fire
to burn off some rubbish about two
weeks before the fire broke out in the
Ookala cane. He supposed his fire was
out but it smouldered and spread for
two weeks before making itself mani
fest. While this was above the cane
fields it worked back against the wind
to the cane fields. There has been no
rain to speak of in this region since
April. The plantations have not burn
ed off their trash for fear of being un-
able to control a fire, if started. This
adds another danger as flying sparks
are liable to catch in this trash.
The tradewnds from the northeast
have a tendency to drive the fire up
into the mountains and along toward
the plantations further to the west.
Generally speaking there are home
steads all along this coast mauka of the
canefields, and the damage to these will
doubtless be considerable Considerable
coffee is grown on these homesteads
and it is known that considerable coffee
has been destroyed. The loss on the
Horner coffee estates is known to be
considerable.
People from the region say that while
the fire may be kept out of the cane
fields nothing but a good rain will com
pletely eXtinguish it,
Commissioner of Agriculture Wray
Taylor has received the following let
ter from d. Forbes, manager of Kukui-
haele, under date of July IL.
81 have been during the week, twice
at the scene, just came from there yes
terday. The fire on lower section, after
great deal of hard work, is L may say,
under control, although there is a great
deal of smoke and smoldering fire all
over the place the soil burning down to
depth of II to IA inches, and requires
gang constantly watching, as a sec
ond fire may now take place over the
ground of the first the green cane tops
and grass which did not get entirely
demolished by the first fire are now dry
and in condition for burning again. The
fire which went towards the forest is
still raging and some so men were at
work trying to head it off the coffee
patches, considerable of which has got
burned up. 1t is very hard to form any
approximately correct idea, although in
quoting A. Horner's remarks L believe
l am near the fact as to the present
area which has become denuded
THE fire started on the southwest
side of Ookala Plantation through a
cause, to be settled today by Coroner s
inquest A fierce wind blowing at the
time famed the flames which passed
through a narrow belt of wild forest
and caught the Ookala cane of Is
months growth inside of III hours. This
field of some 80 to SO acres was de-
molished, the fire increasing in speed
travelled southwest to a small field of
Horner's and cleaned it up, 40 acres of
fine cane over virgin soil Every effort
was made to keep the fire on the Hilo
side of large gulch there but of no
avail, it jumped over 200 feet and
caught more cane, in short it destroyed
about 65 acres of Horner's cane, con-
siderable coffee, etc. Besides a cost of
$2ovI for extra labor used during the
past week in suppressing the fire, the
loss Is estimated at $4,000 to the Hor-
nerS. 1t is rather serious, and that
more particularly from a "trampfire." "
There were up to yesterday approXi-
mately about 800 acres of forest burn
ed chiefly Ohia and Koa, with a slight
| mixture of Sumach. i do not think
that all of the trees on this area will
die, as many of them are only scorched
but there are a great number of them
so sick and sore headed, having been
| heated to their tops, that the plantation
has cord-wood for years to come
Should rain not come on at an early
rate and dampen down the grass, etc.
in forest, l would hesitate to say when
or where the fire may stop, and do not
feel surprised If it should finally get
through to Waimea. if no change takes
place in the weather. Fighting a fire
on top is all right but when it gets un-
der-neath its pretty hot, and this is the
toughest fire l have seen on Hawaii.
1T is hard to estimate the damage
on forest, 800 acres of trees suitable
for railroad ties or fence posts or
| beams of any kind, trees running from
two and a half diameter at 10 feet from
the ground is to make least of it, valu-
able timber and a growth of many
years. Those values apart from the
climatic influence on surrounding coun-
try are considerable. and will foot up a
nice round sum. Trusting you can
gather from above a fair idea of the
confiagration.
II remain.
Yours truly,
~ ga.VgU= 80