MAKUA — More than 80 firefighters on the ground and six helicopters overhead spent most of yesterday battling O'ahu's first major brushfire of the year, a 1,000-acre blaze that threatened a telecommunications building but caused no property damage.

By nightfall the fire, which began near Keawa'ula Bay and spread up the mountainside, was deemed contained but not extinguished, said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Sigmund Oka. Firefighting operations were suspended for the night and will resume this morning.

It was not known what caused the fire, Oka said.

The brushfire was in a remote area, about 2 1/2 miles from Ka'ena Point.

For some area residents, it brought back memories of last year when more than 700 brushfires were recorded on O'ahu, many of them on the Leeward Coast. More than 80 percent of the fires were intentionally set, officials said.

"I think we're in for a very long, hot summer," said William Aila, harbormaster of the Wai'anae Boat Harbor.

Aila said he suspects yesterday's fire was deliberately set because "it's a remote area, there are few witnesses around and we still have people driving around throwing fireworks out their vehicle windows."

Maralyn Kurshals of Wai'anae said although there have been relatively few brushfires this summer, all the talk about brushfires can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Let's change the attitude that this destruction has to happen out here every summer," Kurshals said. "If people see anything suspicious happening, report it, whether it's your uncle, your cousin or your neighbor."

Fire Battalion Chief Roland Harvest said the fire started near Farrington Highway about 10:30 Wednesday night. "And then it traveled up the mountain all the way," he said. "And when it hit the top, it branched out in both directions like a T."

Harvest said one leg of the fire traveled to Makua Ridge, and doubled back and came close to a telecommunications building.

Oka said firefighters "took defensive measures" to protect the building, sending firefighters up the mountain with a tanker truck to keep the fire at bay.

Firefighters from the Honolulu Fire Department, federal government and state Department of Land and Natural Resources fought the fire yesterday. Six helicopters — two from the Fire Department, two military craft and two private copters — made water drops throughout the day.

"It looks like the fire is out around the perimeter," Oka said at sundown. "There's no immediate threat right now. Buildings are safe, and hopefully it won't flare up overnight. It's not under control yet but there are no longer big flames."

STATION SPARED

The Air Force's Ka'ena Point Satellite Tracking Station is also in the area, but was not threatened.

Last year's brushfires burned more than 7,000 acres on O'ahu. The Wai'anae Coast had more than half of those fires, including two in Nanakuli that burned 1,800 acres in July and 2,850 acres in August 2005.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.