A wildfire on Maui kills at least 6 as it sweeps through historic town, forcing some into the ocean
Wed, August 9, 2023
KAHULUI, Hawaii (AP) — A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in total darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. At least six people died and dozens were wounded.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames “wiped out communities," and urged travelers to stay away.
“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.
The wind-driven conflagration swept into coastal Lahaina with alarming speed and ferocity, blazing through intersections and leaping across wooden buildings in the town center that dates to the 1700s and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Aerial video revealed entire blocks of homes and businesses flattened, including on Front Street, a popular shopping and dining area. Other images portray a scene of near-complete devastation. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of scorched trees.
“It was apocalyptic from what they explained,” Tiare Lawrence said of 14 cousins and uncles who fled as the inferno descended on the family’s hometown. “The heat. Smoke and flames everywhere. They had to get my elderly uncle out of the home.”
The relatives took refuge in Lawrence's house in Pukalani, east of Lahaina. She was also frantically trying to reach her siblings Wednesday morning, but there was no phone service.
Lahaina resident Keʻeaumoku Kapu was tying down loose objects in the wind at the cultural center he runs in Lahaina when his wife showed up Tuesday afternoon and told him they needed to evacuate. “Right at that time, things got crazy, the wind started picking up,” said Kapu, who added that they got out “in the nick of time.”
Two blocks away they saw fire and billowing smoke. Kapu, his wife and a friend jumped into his pickup truck. “By the time we turned around, our building was on fire," he said. "It was that quick.”
Crews on Maui were battling multiple blazes concentrated in two areas: the tourist destination on the western coast and an inland, mountainous region. In West Maui, 911 service was out and residents were directed to call the police department directly.
“Do NOT go to Lahaina Town,” the county tweeted hours before all roads in and out of the community of 12,000 residents were closed to everyone except emergency personnel.
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which was passing to the south of the island chain at a safe distance of 500 miles (805 kilometers), was partly to blame for gusts above 60 mph (97 kph) that knocked out power, rattled homes and grounded firefighting helicopters. Aircraft resumed flights Wednesday as the winds diminished somewhat.
The Coast Guard on Tuesday rescued 14 people, including two children, who had fled into the ocean to escape the fire and smoky conditions, the county said in a statement.
Fires killed six people on Maui, but search and rescue operations continued and the number could rise, County of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said at a Wednesday morning news conference. He said he had just learned the news and didn't know the details of how or where the deaths happened.
Six patients were flown from Maui to the island of Oahu on Tuesday night, said Speedy Bailey, regional director for Hawaii Life Flight, an air-ambulance company. Three of them had critical burns and were taken to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit, he said. The others were taken to other Honolulu hospitals. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, he said.
Authorities said earlier Wednesday that a firefighter in Maui was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.
Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who is traveling, and activated the Hawaii National Guard to assist.
“Certain parts of Maui, we have shelters that are overrun," Luke said. "We have resources that are being taxed.”
There’s no count available for the number of structures that have burned or the number of people who have evacuated, but officials said there were four shelters open and that more than 1,000 people were at the largest.
Kahului Airport, the main airport in Maui, was sheltering 2,000 travelers whose flights were canceled or who recently arrived on the island, the county said.
Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in up to 4,000 of displaced tourists and locals.
“Local people have lost everything,” said James Tokioka, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “They’ve lost their house, they’ve lost their animals.”
Kapu, the owner of the Na Aikane o Maui cultural center in Lahaina, said he and his wife didn't have time to pack up anything before being forced to flee. “We had years and years of research material, artifacts,” he said.
Alan Dickar said he's not sure what remains of his Vintage European Posters gallery, which was a fixture on Front Street in Lahaina for 23 years. Before evacuating with three friends and two cats, Dickar recorded video of flames engulfing the main strip of shops and restaurants frequented by tourists.
“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”
Dickar, who assumed the three houses he owns are also destroyed, said it will take a heroic effort to rebuild what has burned.
“Everyone who comes to Maui, the one place that everybody goes is Front Street,” he said. “The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left.”
The fires weren't only burning on Maui.
There have been no reports of injuries or homes lost to three wildfires burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said Wednesday. Firefighters did extinguish a few roof fires. One blaze is “pretty much under control,” he said. Another was 60% contained, and the other near Mauna Kea Resorts continued to have flareups, he said.
There are 30 power poles down around Lahaina, leaving homes, hotels and shelters without electricity, Bissen said. About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday, according to poweroutage.us.
“It’s definitely one of the more challenging days for our island given that it’s multiple fires, multiple evacuations in the different district areas,” County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said.
In the Kula area of Maui, at least two homes were destroyed in a fire that engulfed about 1.7 square miles (4.5 square kilometers), Bissen said. About 80 people were evacuated from 40 homes, he said.
Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the U.S. West. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires.
Fires were rare in Hawaii and on other tropical islands before humans arrived, and native ecosystems evolved without them. This means great environmental damage can occur when fires erupt. For example, fires remove vegetation. When a fire is followed by heavy rainfall, the rain can carry loose soil into the ocean, where it can smother coral reefs.
A major fire on the Big Island in 2021 burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.
Lahaina is often thought of just a Maui tourist town, Lawrence said, but “we have a very strong Hawaiian community.”
“I’m just heartbroken. Everywhere, our memories,” she said. “Everyone’s homes. Everyone’s lives have tragically changed in the last 12 hours.”
___
This story was edited to correct that Bissen is the mayor of the County of Maui, not Lahaina.
___
Sinco Kelleher reported from Honolulu. Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report.
Audrey Mcavoy And Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, The Associated Press
Wed, August 9, 2023
KAHULUI, Hawaii (AP) — A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in total darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. At least six people died and dozens were wounded.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames “wiped out communities," and urged travelers to stay away.
“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.
The wind-driven conflagration swept into coastal Lahaina with alarming speed and ferocity, blazing through intersections and leaping across wooden buildings in the town center that dates to the 1700s and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Aerial video revealed entire blocks of homes and businesses flattened, including on Front Street, a popular shopping and dining area. Other images portray a scene of near-complete devastation. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of scorched trees.
“It was apocalyptic from what they explained,” Tiare Lawrence said of 14 cousins and uncles who fled as the inferno descended on the family’s hometown. “The heat. Smoke and flames everywhere. They had to get my elderly uncle out of the home.”
The relatives took refuge in Lawrence's house in Pukalani, east of Lahaina. She was also frantically trying to reach her siblings Wednesday morning, but there was no phone service.
Lahaina resident Keʻeaumoku Kapu was tying down loose objects in the wind at the cultural center he runs in Lahaina when his wife showed up Tuesday afternoon and told him they needed to evacuate. “Right at that time, things got crazy, the wind started picking up,” said Kapu, who added that they got out “in the nick of time.”
Two blocks away they saw fire and billowing smoke. Kapu, his wife and a friend jumped into his pickup truck. “By the time we turned around, our building was on fire," he said. "It was that quick.”
Crews on Maui were battling multiple blazes concentrated in two areas: the tourist destination on the western coast and an inland, mountainous region. In West Maui, 911 service was out and residents were directed to call the police department directly.
“Do NOT go to Lahaina Town,” the county tweeted hours before all roads in and out of the community of 12,000 residents were closed to everyone except emergency personnel.
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which was passing to the south of the island chain at a safe distance of 500 miles (805 kilometers), was partly to blame for gusts above 60 mph (97 kph) that knocked out power, rattled homes and grounded firefighting helicopters. Aircraft resumed flights Wednesday as the winds diminished somewhat.
The Coast Guard on Tuesday rescued 14 people, including two children, who had fled into the ocean to escape the fire and smoky conditions, the county said in a statement.
Fires killed six people on Maui, but search and rescue operations continued and the number could rise, County of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said at a Wednesday morning news conference. He said he had just learned the news and didn't know the details of how or where the deaths happened.
Six patients were flown from Maui to the island of Oahu on Tuesday night, said Speedy Bailey, regional director for Hawaii Life Flight, an air-ambulance company. Three of them had critical burns and were taken to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit, he said. The others were taken to other Honolulu hospitals. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, he said.
Authorities said earlier Wednesday that a firefighter in Maui was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.
Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who is traveling, and activated the Hawaii National Guard to assist.
“Certain parts of Maui, we have shelters that are overrun," Luke said. "We have resources that are being taxed.”
There’s no count available for the number of structures that have burned or the number of people who have evacuated, but officials said there were four shelters open and that more than 1,000 people were at the largest.
Kahului Airport, the main airport in Maui, was sheltering 2,000 travelers whose flights were canceled or who recently arrived on the island, the county said.
Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in up to 4,000 of displaced tourists and locals.
“Local people have lost everything,” said James Tokioka, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “They’ve lost their house, they’ve lost their animals.”
Kapu, the owner of the Na Aikane o Maui cultural center in Lahaina, said he and his wife didn't have time to pack up anything before being forced to flee. “We had years and years of research material, artifacts,” he said.
Alan Dickar said he's not sure what remains of his Vintage European Posters gallery, which was a fixture on Front Street in Lahaina for 23 years. Before evacuating with three friends and two cats, Dickar recorded video of flames engulfing the main strip of shops and restaurants frequented by tourists.
“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”
Dickar, who assumed the three houses he owns are also destroyed, said it will take a heroic effort to rebuild what has burned.
“Everyone who comes to Maui, the one place that everybody goes is Front Street,” he said. “The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left.”
The fires weren't only burning on Maui.
There have been no reports of injuries or homes lost to three wildfires burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said Wednesday. Firefighters did extinguish a few roof fires. One blaze is “pretty much under control,” he said. Another was 60% contained, and the other near Mauna Kea Resorts continued to have flareups, he said.
There are 30 power poles down around Lahaina, leaving homes, hotels and shelters without electricity, Bissen said. About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday, according to poweroutage.us.
“It’s definitely one of the more challenging days for our island given that it’s multiple fires, multiple evacuations in the different district areas,” County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said.
In the Kula area of Maui, at least two homes were destroyed in a fire that engulfed about 1.7 square miles (4.5 square kilometers), Bissen said. About 80 people were evacuated from 40 homes, he said.
Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the U.S. West. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires.
Fires were rare in Hawaii and on other tropical islands before humans arrived, and native ecosystems evolved without them. This means great environmental damage can occur when fires erupt. For example, fires remove vegetation. When a fire is followed by heavy rainfall, the rain can carry loose soil into the ocean, where it can smother coral reefs.
A major fire on the Big Island in 2021 burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.
Lahaina is often thought of just a Maui tourist town, Lawrence said, but “we have a very strong Hawaiian community.”
“I’m just heartbroken. Everywhere, our memories,” she said. “Everyone’s homes. Everyone’s lives have tragically changed in the last 12 hours.”
___
This story was edited to correct that Bissen is the mayor of the County of Maui, not Lahaina.
___
Sinco Kelleher reported from Honolulu. Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report.
Audrey Mcavoy And Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, The Associated Press
Grace Eliza Goodwin
Aug 9, 2023,
A wildfire raging in Maui on Tuesday. Dominika Durisova/Reuters
Wildfires, fueled by winds from Hurricane Dora, have been raging across Hawaii this week.
911 service, cell phone service, and some landlines are down in parts of Maui.
The lieutenant governor called the situation in Hawaii right now "unprecedented
Cell phone service, 911 service, and some landlines are down in parts of Maui as "unprecedented" fires rage across the island, the lieutenant governor said on Wednesday.
Catastrophic wildfires have been devastating Maui and the big island of Hawaii since Tuesday, destroying homes and even prompting some residents to jump into the ocean to escape the fires. The state's lieutenant governor Sylvia Luke has called on President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency, CNN reported.
High winds from Hurricane Dora, located about 500 miles from the Hawaiian islands, have made the fires especially difficult to control, according to the Maui Emergency Management Agency.
"The fact that we have wildfires in multiple areas as a result of indirectly from a hurricane is unprecedented; it's something that Hawaii residents and the state have not experienced," Luke told CNN on Wednesday morning.
The winds have also downed cell towers, making rescue efforts more challenging, CNN reported.
"911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down," Luke told CNN. "That's been part of the problem. The Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side."
A spokesperson for the Maui Emergency Management Agency told CNN that even landlines are out in some areas of the island.
"What we are trying to do is deploy individuals to go into areas with satellite phone service," Luke told CNN, adding that emergency services have only been able to contact one hotel in the region because it has a satellite phone.
"That's the only way you can make connection," Luke added. "It's impeding communication. It's impeding efforts to evacuate residents and we are very concerned about that."
The Maui County Fire Department and the lieutenant governor's office did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Wildfires, fueled by winds from Hurricane Dora, have been raging across Hawaii this week.
911 service, cell phone service, and some landlines are down in parts of Maui.
The lieutenant governor called the situation in Hawaii right now "unprecedented
Cell phone service, 911 service, and some landlines are down in parts of Maui as "unprecedented" fires rage across the island, the lieutenant governor said on Wednesday.
Catastrophic wildfires have been devastating Maui and the big island of Hawaii since Tuesday, destroying homes and even prompting some residents to jump into the ocean to escape the fires. The state's lieutenant governor Sylvia Luke has called on President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency, CNN reported.
High winds from Hurricane Dora, located about 500 miles from the Hawaiian islands, have made the fires especially difficult to control, according to the Maui Emergency Management Agency.
"The fact that we have wildfires in multiple areas as a result of indirectly from a hurricane is unprecedented; it's something that Hawaii residents and the state have not experienced," Luke told CNN on Wednesday morning.
The winds have also downed cell towers, making rescue efforts more challenging, CNN reported.
"911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down," Luke told CNN. "That's been part of the problem. The Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side."
A spokesperson for the Maui Emergency Management Agency told CNN that even landlines are out in some areas of the island.
"What we are trying to do is deploy individuals to go into areas with satellite phone service," Luke told CNN, adding that emergency services have only been able to contact one hotel in the region because it has a satellite phone.
"That's the only way you can make connection," Luke added. "It's impeding communication. It's impeding efforts to evacuate residents and we are very concerned about that."
The Maui County Fire Department and the lieutenant governor's office did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island: Evacuations, high winds fueling flames, emergency services down — here's what we know
The Big Island and Maui's town of Lahaina have been affected by wildfires fanned by Hurricane Dora’s powerful winds.
Niamh Cavanagh
·Reporter
Updated Wed, August 9, 2023
At least six people were killed on the island of Maui on Wednesday after ferocious winds caused by Hurricane Dora in part fueled devastating wildfires across Hawaii, officials said.
Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said "we are still in a search and rescue mode," and added that several people were unaccounted for.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke issued an emergency proclamation after what she called the “unprecedented wildfires,” which started on Tuesday, continued to spread on the islands of Hawaii (known as the Big Island) and Maui. “The safety of our residents is paramount, and this emergency proclamation will activate the Hawaiʻi National Guard to support emergency responders in the impacted communities,” Luke said in a statement. The National Guard was immediately activated.
As the fires continued into Wednesday, Maui’s hospitals became overwhelmed with patients suffering from fire-related injuries and illnesses. Schools were shut around the island and thousands of residents were left without power after dozens of utility poles were downed.
The Big Island and Maui's town of Lahaina have been affected by wildfires fanned by Hurricane Dora’s powerful winds.
Niamh Cavanagh
·Reporter
Updated Wed, August 9, 2023
At least six people were killed on the island of Maui on Wednesday after ferocious winds caused by Hurricane Dora in part fueled devastating wildfires across Hawaii, officials said.
Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said "we are still in a search and rescue mode," and added that several people were unaccounted for.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke issued an emergency proclamation after what she called the “unprecedented wildfires,” which started on Tuesday, continued to spread on the islands of Hawaii (known as the Big Island) and Maui. “The safety of our residents is paramount, and this emergency proclamation will activate the Hawaiʻi National Guard to support emergency responders in the impacted communities,” Luke said in a statement. The National Guard was immediately activated.
As the fires continued into Wednesday, Maui’s hospitals became overwhelmed with patients suffering from fire-related injuries and illnesses. Schools were shut around the island and thousands of residents were left without power after dozens of utility poles were downed.
What caused the wildfires?
Wildfires were recorded on Hawaii's Big Island and Maui. (Yahoo News)
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the wildfires, but Jeff Powell, a meteorologist in Honolulu, said they were sparked “kind of because of Hurricane Dora, but it’s not a direct result.”
Hurricane Dora, which is expected to pass western Johnston Island on Wednesday, passed 700 miles south of Honolulu and created winds of 130 mph on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The National Weather Services warned of wind speeds as high as 60 mph and alerted those in the affected areas to expect power outages and difficulty traveling.
A wildfire burns in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui on Wednesday.
Wildfires burn land, damage homes
Smoke and flames from raging wildfires fill the air on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Hawaii. (Alan Dickar/AP)
Swaths of land on the Big Island and Maui, as well as town buildings and infrastructure, have been damaged from the fires. Videos shared on social media show parts of the historic town of Lahaina in Maui County, a community that is home to 12,000 people, engulfed in flames. A dozen Lahaina residents were forced to escape the fires by jumping into the surrounding sea. The U.S. Coast Guard launched a rescue operation to save those in the water.
“Multiple structures have burned and multiple evacuations are in place, as firefighter crews continue battling brush and structure fires in Upcountry and Lahaina areas,” county officials said.
In the last 24 hours, patients, including one firefighter, suffering from fire-related illnesses and emergencies have packed hospitals in Maui. Strong winds from the hurricane have cut off 911 emergency and cellphone services, Luke said.
A wildfire on Maui, Hawaii. (Dominika Durisova/Reuters)
At least 10 schools on the island have closed following the continued spread of brush fires while one, located in Central Maui, remains open as an evacuation shelter. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 14,000 in Hawaii are still without electricity.
"It's definitely one of the more challenging days for our island, given that it's multiple fires, multiple evacuations in the different district areas," Mahina Martin, a spokesperson from Maui County, said.
Wildfires were recorded on Hawaii's Big Island and Maui. (Yahoo News)
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the wildfires, but Jeff Powell, a meteorologist in Honolulu, said they were sparked “kind of because of Hurricane Dora, but it’s not a direct result.”
Hurricane Dora, which is expected to pass western Johnston Island on Wednesday, passed 700 miles south of Honolulu and created winds of 130 mph on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The National Weather Services warned of wind speeds as high as 60 mph and alerted those in the affected areas to expect power outages and difficulty traveling.
A wildfire burns in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui on Wednesday.
(Zeke Kalua/County of Maui via Reuters)
Read more on Yahoo News:
The Associated Press: Emergency official says multiple Maui wildfire burn patients have been flown to Honolulu hospital
The Independent: Climate-fueled wildfires take toll on tropical Pacific isles
Fox Weather: Hurricane Dora continues to trek well south of Hawaii as raging wildfires burn in Maui
The Weather Network: People forced to flee into sea to escape flames in popular Hawaii destination
The NWS said that “very dry conditions” and “potentially damaging easterly winds” would continue the “dangerous fire weather conditions” into Wednesday afternoon. “The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui County fire assistant chief Jeff Giesea said.
“The fact that we have wildfires in multiple areas as a result of indirectly from a hurricane is unprecedented; it's something that Hawaii residents and the state have not experienced,” Luke said.
Read more on Yahoo News:
The Associated Press: Emergency official says multiple Maui wildfire burn patients have been flown to Honolulu hospital
The Independent: Climate-fueled wildfires take toll on tropical Pacific isles
Fox Weather: Hurricane Dora continues to trek well south of Hawaii as raging wildfires burn in Maui
The Weather Network: People forced to flee into sea to escape flames in popular Hawaii destination
The NWS said that “very dry conditions” and “potentially damaging easterly winds” would continue the “dangerous fire weather conditions” into Wednesday afternoon. “The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui County fire assistant chief Jeff Giesea said.
“The fact that we have wildfires in multiple areas as a result of indirectly from a hurricane is unprecedented; it's something that Hawaii residents and the state have not experienced,” Luke said.
Wildfires burn land, damage homes
Smoke and flames from raging wildfires fill the air on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Hawaii. (Alan Dickar/AP)
Swaths of land on the Big Island and Maui, as well as town buildings and infrastructure, have been damaged from the fires. Videos shared on social media show parts of the historic town of Lahaina in Maui County, a community that is home to 12,000 people, engulfed in flames. A dozen Lahaina residents were forced to escape the fires by jumping into the surrounding sea. The U.S. Coast Guard launched a rescue operation to save those in the water.
“Multiple structures have burned and multiple evacuations are in place, as firefighter crews continue battling brush and structure fires in Upcountry and Lahaina areas,” county officials said.
In the last 24 hours, patients, including one firefighter, suffering from fire-related illnesses and emergencies have packed hospitals in Maui. Strong winds from the hurricane have cut off 911 emergency and cellphone services, Luke said.
A wildfire on Maui, Hawaii. (Dominika Durisova/Reuters)
At least 10 schools on the island have closed following the continued spread of brush fires while one, located in Central Maui, remains open as an evacuation shelter. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 14,000 in Hawaii are still without electricity.
"It's definitely one of the more challenging days for our island, given that it's multiple fires, multiple evacuations in the different district areas," Mahina Martin, a spokesperson from Maui County, said.
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