The Hawaiʻi National Guard is assisting in fighting a vegetation fire along Mana Road on the Big Island, deploying three helicopters—a UH-60 and HH-60 Blackhawks and a CH-47 Chinook—to support Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense. Since last Friday, the crews have completed 13 water drops, delivering over 6,700 gallons to help contain the flames, according to the Hawai‘i Department of Defense.
Rain has caused some delays but has also slowed the fire, reducing the need for helicopter operations. The 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawai‘i are providing additional support, including aerial refueling to speed up helicopter turnaround times, as reported by the Hawai‘i Department of Defense.
Under Operation Hoʻopauahi, a HING aircrew is kept on standby to respond to wildfires in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i National Guard works with the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency and Hawai‘i County Civil Defense to deploy resources when needed. Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan said, “Approximately 330 Hawai‘i National Guard federal technicians, working without pay for the second pay period in a row, are still able to generate response capabilities that assist Hawai‘i’s counties to extinguish dangerous wildfires in the community.” A Chinook helicopter crew is ready to fly at any time to support wildfire response, as stated by the Hawai‘i Department of Defense.
