HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2) — Big Island police have began an arson investigation after several brush fires started under suspicious circumstances in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision on March 3.

At approximately 1:15 p.m. Big Island fire personnel received word of a brush fire in the area of King Kamehameha Boulevard, between Luau Drive and Coral Parkway. Upon arrival, the fire team had learned that three smaller fires had been extinguished by good Samaritans prior to their arrival.

Later on, at around 3 p.m., fire personnel received another report of a brush fire in the same area as the prior fires. That fire was quickly controlled and extinguished by responding officials. No injuries or property damage were reported as a result of these fires.

Upon investigation, it was learned that a man wearing brown shorts and no shirt was seen in the area where the fires started. He was seen entering a white sedan that abruptly left the area, and was last seen eastbound on Luau Drive. His identity and information about his vehicle are yet to be known.

Authorities are also investigation a connection between these brush fires and a Feb. 21 residential fire that completely destroyed a home on Paradise Parkway. The March 3 fires took place a mile away from the location of the residential fire, and the homeowner of the residence saw a man matching the given description on her property prior to the fire.

Anyone with information relating to the fires are encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118 or at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.