Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, July 19, 2022

The Power Line wildfire on July 11 was reported 100 percent contained on Tuesday by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
National Park. NPS Photo by C. Ritzman

THE POWER LINE WILDFIRE IS 100 PERCENT CONTAINED on the southeast flank of Mauna Loa in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The fire was held to 42.5 acres in size. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reports that Mauna Loa Road remains closed to all public use, and only authorized vehicles are allowed past the gate at Kīpukapuaulu until further notice. Firefighters are working to reduce nearly two miles of hose lay around the fire, and the presence of fire personnel, heavy equipment and vehicles on the road requires its continued temporary closure. Utility crews are conducting inspections and performing tree trimming in the fire area.
    Crews are also working to mop up smoldering patches in the interior of the fire. Hotter, windier weather caused flare ups in grass near the center of the fire. "Firefighters did not get much help from Tropical Storm Darby over the weekend, with less than half an inch of rain on the fire Saturday, and no precipitation since, but are working hard towards full suppression," says the Park statement.

A Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park chainsaw operator,
 or sawyer, removes dry vegetation from the Power
 Line fire perimeter. NPS Photo by J.Ferracane

  "Falling snags from trees burned in the 2018 Keauhou fire continue to be a hazard for firefighters, making it difficult to safely access and mop up the interior of the fire. Other hazards to firefighters include loose, uneven lava rock terrain."
    The Power Line fire was first reported at 6:09 p.m. on Monday, July 11 and started near a power line road at around 4,800-ft. elevation in the park. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
    No homes or other structures were damaged. The burn has impacted habitat for native birds, and a 1,760-foot section of ungulate-proof fence that protects native forest was damaged. Park staff are evaluating needs and planning for rehabilitation.
   Cooperating agencies that assisted the National Park Service through the initial attack include the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife; County of Hawaiʻi Fire Department, and the U.S. Army's Pōhakuloa Training Area.
    "Most of Hawaiʻi is experiencing dry conditions, ranging from abnormally dry to extreme drought. Most wildfires in Hawaiʻi are started by people. Help protect the ʻāina and learn how to be fire safe by visiting www.hawaiiwildfire.org/lookout/," urges the statement from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.htm

EIGHTEEN MOTORISTS WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI during the week of July 11 through July 17. Hawaiʻi Island police arrested them for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Three of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Five of the drivers were under the age of 21.
    So far this year, there have been 562 DUI arrests compared with 636 during the same period last year, a

decrease of 11.6 percent.
    There have been 424 major accidents so far this year compared with 422 during the same period last year, an increase of 0.47 percent.
    To date, there were 20 fatal crashes (one fatal crash reclassified on 5/30/22 due to a medical condition) resulting in 22 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one of which was reclassified due to a medical condition), compared with 13 fatal crashes, resulting in 13 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents is an increase of 53.8 percent for fatal crashes, and 69.2 percent for fatalities.
    Hawaiʻi Police Department promises that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.htm

A FORMER HAWAI'I COUNTY HOUSING OFFICIAL PLEADED GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD between December 2014 and October 2021. The crime involved schemes to defraud the process of developers promising to include affordable housing in their projects. At his sentencing on Oct. 31 in U.S. District Court, Alan Scott Rudo could receive up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.          

    According to an Associated Press story, while working as a Housing & Community Development specialist for Hawaiʻi County, Rudo involved himself in a scheme to become a partner in buying and selling affordable housing credits. Credits for a developer creating more affordable housing than required for a project can be sold or given to other developers to meet the requirements for their projects. Rudo pleaded guilty on Monday before federal judge Rom Trader.

     His plea agreement states that he and co-conspirators benefited from selling credits involving three

affordable housing projects without every building a single unit. Rudo took or attempted to receive some $2 million in kickbacks or bribes involving the projects, while hiding his identity, says the plea agreement.

    A story in Civil Beat reports that the housing projects involving the fraud were in Waikoloa, Kailua-Kona, South Kohala and Kealakehe. Civil Beat notes that the co-conspirators are two attorneys and a business person. The Civil Beat story also includes a statement from Mayor Mitch Roth, himself the former county prosecuting attorney, Roth said the county noticed Rudo's activities, contacted federal law enforcement, cooperated  “diligently and transparently with federal investigators, and will continue to do so.
    “Although these incidents happened under previous administrations, we are here to take ownership of the issue and will continue to find ways to better our transparency and ensure honest services to all in our community,”  Roth told Civil Beat.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.htm