WAIALUA, Hawaii -- Some Waialua farmers are urging the public to come forward with information about yesterday’s massive brush fire.

Fire investigators confirm it was arson.

The brush fire destroyed about 100 acres and came dangerously close to homes and livestock.

Ed and Marck Aphay assessed the damage to their produce farm Wednesday afternoon. They lost some valuable basil, cucumber and tomato crops. “A lot of people lost a lot of stuff,” said Marck Aphay.

Aphay and his father were hard at work on their family owned produce farm when the fire broke out Tuesday, just before noon.

“It was just the smoke was really thick. You couldn’t really breathe. I had to take my mom out because I was scared. She couldn’t breathe. I was trying to look for her. I don’t know where she was. I was panicking,” said Aphay.

Aphay found his mom and brought her to safety.

But Aphay was not able to save his farm’s main water pump that supplies the 4 acre farm with the vital resource. The fire also damaged a drip line to the family’s new okra crop, destroyed a pickup truck, jet ski and valuable farm tools.

“The only thing we could do is start all over,” Aphay said.

While Aphay and his father discussed how to start over, firefighters on the ground and in the air worked to prevent flareups.

“What you don’t see is the large flames and active spread of the fire. But you do see smoke. And that’s because there are parts of the vegetation that still are hot enough that they’re producing heat and emitting smoke. And if left unattended, they’ll eventually get hot enough that they generate flame, which then causes more open burning,” said Capt. Terry Seelig, of the Honolulu Fire Department.

Honolulu police said they found empty cans of flammable liquid where the fire started. Witnesses reported seeing a van leaving the area just before the flames erupted.

The news saddened and angered farmers like the Aphays.

“They don’t know what kind of damage they can do towards us as farmers and regular people. I hope these guys get caught. And I hope they get real busted because this is a lot of damage,” said Aphay.

Seelig said HFD is working with police to solve the arson case. And he urged the public to report anything suspicious that may have led to the fire Tuesday afternoon.

“That’s what’s going to help the most. It’s the right thing to do to give information about fires that are intentionally started. It impacts all of us,” Seelig said.

“I want them to know what they’re doing and you know, it’s not a joke. It’s very serious,” Aphay said.

Police ask anyone with information on Tuesday’s brush fire to call 911.