Volunteers cleaning up a beach Saturday morning near the Kahuku Golf Course found what appeared to be unexploded ordnance in the bushes, a spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department said.

A military explosive ordnance disposal team investigated the item and determined it to be a type of flare used during military exercises that had not gone off, Capt. Gary Lum said.

The suspicious item was found around 9:30 a.m. near the golf course. The person that found the object immediately called 911, and the area was closed off while firefighters, military and police investigated.

Lum said his personnel reported that the flare is typically used as a marker on the ocean that burns a very bright white light during military drills or nighttime exercises.

“When the military EOD (team) evaluated it, it appeared to be still alive and they took it away to Schofield to the firing range, and they’re going to destroy it out there,” he said.