A large pile of abandoned vehicles, tires and other rubbish hampered firefighters’ efforts to extinguish a 30-acre brush fire Monday night on Kauai, the Kauai Fire Department said.

The fire started about 5:50 p.m. near a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands subdivision in Anahola.

Firefighters responded to the blaze in an open field below Pilipoli Road, and a fire helicopter made water drops on the fire, which was brought under control by 6:30 p.m.

Firefighters couldn’t fully extinguish the fire, however, because of the large pile of waste, firefighters said.

A Department of Public Works crew moved the waste with a bulldozer, allowing firefighters to access burning areas.

Firefighters left the scene at about 9:30 p.m., and the abandoned waste was expected to continue smoldering for some time.

The cause of the fire was unknown.