Honolulu firefighters are battling a large brushfire on the hills above Kalama Valley in East Oahu and have evacuated a few dozen homes as a precaution.

The fire started before 10 p.m. Sunday and quickly scorched a huge swath of the hillside above the back of the valley.

Honolulu police closed Kealahou Street to traffic. Police said late last night that homes were not immediately in danger but about 40 households in Kalama Valley and on Kamehame Ridge above the valley were evacuated.

Firefighters were to continue to battle the blaze overnight and possibly call in helicopters to help in the morning.

There was no immediate estimate on how many acres have burned.

Residents said that aerial fireworks were going off in the area before the blaze started but police said the cause has not been determined.