Extreme Weather Unleashes Chaos on Maui, Prompting Evacuations Amidst Fire Emergencies
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3:55 p.m. – Six fatalities have been confirmed amidst the active Lāhainā fire. Firefighting as well as search and rescue efforts are currently underway. West Maui is still out of power with no cell phone reception.
Tourists are being advised to leave Maui to help conserve resources for locals who have been impacted by these events. Transportation services are being provided from the Sheraton Maui Resort in Kaʻanapali to Kahului Airport.
3:30 p.m. – A federal team arrived on Maui to aid with search and rescue efforts. Flyovers of Lāhainā town by U.S. Civil Air Patrol and Maui Fire Department showed more than 270 structures have burned, including from Puamana through the entire downtown Lāhainā area.
Motorists are not allowed to enter Lāhainā, but those still needing to evacuate the West Side are being directed to go through Kahakuloa. Only Kahakuloa residents may access the area via Waiheʻe at this time.
3:05 p.m. – The previously issued red flag warning, which indicates critical fire conditions, has been extended to Aug. 10 at 6 a.m.
9:30 a.m. – Firefighters are still on the scene in Lāhainā and four helicopters were able to launch this morning to help with the efforts. Previously, air support was not possible due to high wind speeds that created unsafe flying conditions.
Lāhainā still does not have cell service and there have been no changes regarding containment of the fires in Lāhainā, Pulehu or Upcountry.
More than 2,100 people were accounted for in the evacuation centers around the island and the Coast Guard reported 14 rescues of people who fled into the ocean off Lāhainā.
About 2,000 travelers from arriving and canceled flights sheltered overnight at Kahului Airport. State officials are discouraging non-essential travel to the island at this time.
U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie K. Hirono as well as U.S. Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda have urged President Joe Biden to expedite federal assistance.
8:45 a.m. – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz has released a statement regarding the fires on Maui and the Big Island. He has been in touch with the White House, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, the governor, the lieutenant governor and local mayors requesting that the maximum federal resources be deployed immediately.
8:30 a.m. – Aerial footage posted on social media shows total devastation in Lāhainā. The full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, but many structures have been lost.
6:20 a.m. – Haleakala Highway is reportedly littered with downed trees and debris. The road is currently closed from Kealaloa Avenue in Pukalani to Lower Kimo Drive in Kula.
6:10 a.m. – The fire in Kīhei has cleared and residents have been given permission to return to their homes.
5:50 a.m. – Residents of Launiupoko Estates and Punakea Loop in Lāhainā are being evacuated and sent toward Wailuku.
12:30 a.m. – Residents on Upper Kimo Drive in Kula are being advised to proactively evacuate.
12:10 a.m. – 911 services in West Maui have been suspended. For emergencies, contact the Lahaina Police Department directly at (808) 661-4441.
12:00 a.m. – War Memorial Gym in Kahului has opened as an additional shelter for evacuees.
11:25 p.m. – Residents of Holopuni Road and Pulehu Road in Kula as well as in the subdivisions north and south of Lipoa Parkway in Kīhei are being advised to proactively evacuate. Evacuees at the Kihei Community Center are being relocated to Maui High School as a precautionary measure.
11 p.m. – The Lahaina Civic Center shelter has been evacuated and moved to Maui Preparatory Academy in Nāpili.
10 p.m. – Maui High School announced that it will be closed to students and staff on Aug. 9 while the space is used as an evacuation center.
9:45 p.m. – Mayor Richard Bissen has issued an emergency proclamation for the brush and structure fires on Maui.
Additional evacuation centers, staffed by the American Red Cross, have opened in Kahului and Kīhei (see below for a full list of shelters).
Drinking water is available at Kula Fire Station, Kula Community Center, Rice Park and Crater Road – Hydrant 373.
A firefighter who was responding to the Lāhainā fire experienced smoke inhalation and was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center where he is currently in stable condition.
8:40 p.m. – Keawe Street is closed from Honoapiʻilani Highway to the Lahaina Bypass.
8 p.m. – The Coast Guard has been deployed to Front Street Beach and the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, where residents entered the ocean to avoid the smoke and flames. These individuals were rescued and transported to safe areas.
7:45 p.m. – Pulehu Road is closed between Omaopio Road and Kula Highway in the Upcountry area and Honoapiʻilani Highway is closed at Māʻalaea in the Lāhainā-bound direction.
7 p.m. – The following public schools will remain closed on Aug. 9 due to unsafe conditions and damage caused by these extreme weather events: Princess Nahiʻenaʻena Elementary, King Kamehameha III Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate, Lahainaluna High and King Kekaulike High.
6 p.m. – Multiple structures have burned in Lāhainā, including downtown on Front Street.
6:30 p.m. – An emergency proclamation was issued by acting Governor Sylvia Luke, who is acting on behalf of Governor Josh Green. This proclamation activates the Hawai’i National Guard to support emergency responders, authorizes action by the Hawai’i Emergency Mangement Agency and Administrator of Emergency Management as well as the use of state general revenue funds.
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In the wake of Hurricane Dora, the tranquil landscapes of Maui have been transformed into scenes of urgency and chaos. As the Category 4 storm, currently positioned approximately 700 miles south-southwest of Honolulu, continues on its path across the Pacific, the Hawaiian islands continue to grapple with a cascade of extreme weather events that have left communities in disarray.
With downed power lines and trees throughout the island, many residents have been without power or cell phone reception for most of the day.
The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind and fire warning for portions of Maui County, which is expected remain in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday. As of 5:50 p.m., the Maui County Emergency Operating Center has been activated and is coordinating with the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency for state and federal resources.
Evacuations Ordered Amidst Multiple Brush Fires
Lāhainā and Upcountry residents are being evacuated from their homes as brush fires on both sides of the island are exasperated by high winds reaching gusts of up to 80 mph.
Following power outages Upcountry late last night, a brush fire was reported in the Olinda Road area of Kula shortly after midnight on Aug. 8. Residents started being evacuated at 3:45 a.m. and the fire has since burned an estimated 1,000 acres. Fire fighting crews are focused on the subdivision near Kula Lodge, where the fire has reached as far as Kualono Place.
Another brush fire was reported in Lāhainā around 6:30 a.m. and was supposedly 100% contained by 9 a.m. By 3:30 p.m., the fire flared back up and has since prompted the closure of the Lahaina Bypass as well as evacuations of the Lahainaluna Road, Hale Mahaolu, Kelawea Mauka and Lahaina Bypass areas. Kahakuloa is closed to non-residents. As of 5 p.m., a portion of the bypass has repoened to allow access in and out of Lāhainā via Hōkiokio Place. Heavy traffic is expected and motorists are advised to drive with caution.
The cause of these fires remains under investigation.
Residents in West Maui and Upcountry who are able to remain in their homes are advised to do so, unless prompted to evacuate. The Department of Water Supply also asks the public to conserve water, as the power outages are affecting the ability to pump water to certain locations.
Evacuations Ordered Amidst Multiple Brush Fires
Hawaiian Electric Co. urges to exercise caution and advises maintaining a distance of at least 30 feet from downed power lines, which may still carry dangerous electrical currents. Reports of downed power lines can be made by contacting 911 or Hawaiian Electric at (808) 871-7777.
For those displaced by evacuations, emergency shelters have been established in the Lāhainā, Upcountry, Kahului and Kīhei:
Hannibal Tavares Community Center, Pukalani
Maui Preparatory Academy, Nāpili (moved from Lahaina Civic Center)
Maui High School, Kahului
War Memorial Gym, Kahului
Kihei Community Center, Kīhei (relocated to Maui High)
Oskie Rice Arena, Makawao (for residents with farm and ranch animals; no longer being reported as open)
These emergency shelters do not provide bedding, toiletries or personal care items. Evacuees must remember to bring any necessary medications. Pet owners will need to have pet food and their animals properly restrained.
As this unprecedented situation continues to unfold, we encourage our readers to stay informed with the latest updates and developments. We welcome your contributions, including information and photos, which can be submitted to editor@mauitimes.org.
*Lead image by Chelsea Paslay
