“Massive” Fire Sweeps through Maui, Hawaii, Forcing Some to Seek Refuge in Ocean

“Massive” Fire Sweeps through Maui, Hawaii, Forcing Some to Seek Refuge in Ocean:

A raging Fire Sweeps through Maui, Hawaii, with devastating consequences, compelling numerous individuals to flee into the sea to evade the flames.

The wildfires have been exacerbated by strong winds originating from an approaching hurricane which led to hundreds of evacuations.

Power outages affected thousands, homes were reduced to ashes, and even desperate residents sought refuge amidst the ocean’s waves.

According to Mahina Martin, a spokesperson for Maui County, the fires have impacted three distinct regions on the island- Lahaina, a district that encompasses residential and tourist areas along with a commercial zone in West Maui; Kula, a residential enclave nestled within the hilly, inland Upcountry region; and Kihei, a locality that hosts an array of residential homes, condos, vacation rentals, and visitor facilities in South Maui.

Local officials report that multiple structures have succumbed to the flames, and multiple evacuation directives have been issued as emergency teams grapple with both brush and structural fires.

Martin disclosed that the exact number of evacuees, the scale of the fires, and the extent of the structural damage remain uncertain.

Acting Governor Sylvia Luke and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen have proclaimed states of emergency in response to the disaster.

The Hawaii National Guard has been mobilized to aid the Maui Police Department in controlling traffic points, as revealed by the Hawaii Adjutant General.

The National Weather Service has highlighted the combination of Hurricane Dora passing 500 miles south of the island chain and potent high pressure to the north, generating destructive winds throughout the night.

The weather service had cautioned about powerful winds with low humidity levels, and perilous fire weather conditions until Wednesday afternoon.

As per Martin, Kahului Airport in Maui houses over 2,000 visitors who either canceled their flights or found themselves stranded.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation shared that around 1,800 people sought shelter at the airport overnight due to widespread highway closures on the island’s western side.

Over 100 firefighters, including 11 from state airport rescue units, have been tirelessly battling the flames.

Ten public schools in Maui, including one functioning as an evacuation refuge, will remain closed on Wednesday as per the Hawaii Department of Education.

In a swift operation, Lahainaluna High School students were relocated to Maui High School, which has been repurposed as a shelter for evacuees, enabling them to be collected by family members or emergency contacts.

As the wildfires encroached upon Kihei, authorities announced the closure of four public schools in South Maui, adding to the list of school closures in West, Upcountry, and Central Maui.

In response to the dire conditions, the Coast Guard has intervened in areas where residents sought refuge in the ocean due to the smoke and fire threats.

A Lahaina resident, Tiare Lawrence, described the scene as reminiscent of an apocalypse, recounting the chaos and the sight of people fleeing for their lives.

Alan Dickar, an owner of a business on Front Street, revealed to CBS News that buildings on both sides of the street were swallowed by flames.

He expressed concern that the fire department seemed overwhelmed by the magnitude of the crisis.

In Kula, a blaze ravaged about 1,100 acres, destroying at least two homes, as Maui Mayor Richard Bissen informed the Associated Press.

Roughly 80 residents were evacuated from 40 homes. Responding to the crisis, the Red Cross has established multiple emergency shelters for affected residents.

Martin revealed that a single evacuation center had already accommodated over 1,200 individuals.

Despite the widespread destruction, there have been no reports of injuries except for a firefighter who suffered from smoke inhalation while responding to the West Maui fire. He was transported to a local hospital and is reportedly in stable condition.

Poweroutage.us reported that over 14,000 customers in Maui County were without power. Authorities urged residents to maintain a distance of at least 30 feet from fallen power lines.

In West Maui, 911 service is now unavailable due to the circumstances. Martin admitted that managing evacuation orders in Lahaina has proven extremely challenging since the region lacks cell service and functional communication is limited to landlines.

Notably, the island of Oahu, home to Honolulu, grappled with its own power outages, downed power lines, and traffic disruptions, as confirmed by Adam Weintraub, the communication director for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

In Kula, wind speeds reached 80 mph, significantly impacting the fire’s trajectory and speed, as Martin pointed out.

The high winds impeded helicopter operations, preventing water drops onto the fires from above and complicating accurate assessment of fire dimensions.

Firefighters encountered obstacles such as blocked roads caused by fallen trees and power lines as they battled the inland blazes, as previously reported by the Associated Press.

A high wind warning and red flag warning for hazardous fire conditions, both issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, are projected to remain in effect until Wednesday.

Fire officials on Maui cautioned that erratic winds, challenging terrain, steep slopes, dwindling humidity, and the fire’s direction and location have combined to make predicting its course and speed a daunting task.

Furthermore, wind can transport fire embers over long distances, igniting new fires far from the fire’s origin point.

The situation in the broader Hawaii region is grave, with brush fires blazing in North and South Kohala. These incidents prompted evacuations and power failures.

Responding to the crisis, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted the state’s request for a disaster declaration, aimed at providing assistance for the wind-fueled Kohala Ranch wildfire on the Big Island.

The wildfire, which ignited early on Tuesday, posed a threat to approximately 200 homes near the rural community of Kohala Ranch.

It also endangered a volunteer fire department, local power transmission lines, and an AT&T cellular communications tower in the vicinity.

At the time of the request for federal assistance, the fire remained uncontained, having consumed over 600 acres of land.

Firefighters grappling with this blaze, along with two other uncontrolled fires on the Big Island and Maui, have encountered immense challenges due to the persistent winds, which have rendered aerial support impossible.

Approximately 400 homes across four communities in the island’s northern region have been evacuated. As of the reporting time, one house had already caught fire.