Maui fires live updates: Residents evacuate historic Lahaina town

Fires in Hawaii unlike U.S. wildfires

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 in the Big Island in 2021 burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.

The island of Oahu, where Honolulu is located, also was dealing with power outages, downed power lines and traffic problems, said Adam Weintraub, communication director for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Hawaii under red flag warning

All the Hawaiian islands are under a red flag warning through 6 p.m. local time Wednesday. 

A red flag warning is an alert issued by the National Weather Service when a combination of very low humidity, warm temperatures and strong winds are expected to combine to cause fires to spread rapidly. The warning serves as a signal to officials and fire managers to be on the lookout for potential wildfires in the area.

The warning is for leeward areas, meaning land that faces away from the wind usually sheltered by hills and mountains, due to strong winds and low humidity, the weather service in Honolulu said in a morning advisory. 

“Very dry fuels combined with strong and gusty easterly winds and low humidities will produce critical fire weather conditions through the afternoon hours,” the advisory said. 

East winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts from 40 to 50 mph are forecast, along with humidity levels at 40-45% through the afternoon.

“Any fires that develops will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended,” the agency warned. 

Schools closed in Maui on Wednesday

Schools were shuttered Wednesday due to spreading brush fires and evacuations in Maui. 

Closures in West Maui: Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena Elementary, King Kamehameha III Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate, Lahainaluna High.

Closures in South Maui: Kihei Elementary, Lokelani Intermediate, Kamali‘i Elementary and Kūlanihāko‘i High.

In Upcountry Maui, King Kekaulike High was closed and in Central Maui, Maui High was being used as an evacuation shelter. 

Hawaiians rescued from water

Multiple people entered the water to escape blazes burning across the island.

The U.S. Coast Guard tweeted that a dozen people were rescued near Lahaina by a 45-foot response boat from the Coast Guard’s Maui Station.

“The Coast Guard has been responding to impacted areas where residents are entering the ocean due to smoke and fire conditions,” Maui County said in a public notice. “Individuals were transported by the Coast Guard to safe areas.”

“The USCG continues the joint response with federal and state partners while the USCG Cutter Kimball is en route to Maui to enhance efforts,” it said.

Wildfires continue to burn across Big Island and Maui on Wednesday.

Winds strengthened by hurricane helped fuel devastating fires

Strong winds driven by Dora, which has been churning over the central Pacific Ocean and moving west, helped whip up wildfires that spread quickly in Hawaii.

The weather service Tuesday warned that 45 mph winds and gusts up to 60 mph could create “high fire danger with rapid spread.”

The winds strengthened by the hurricane exacerbated multiple fires in Maui and hampered efforts to put the blazes out, the Associated Press reported. Helicopter crews were unable to dump water on the fires to help contain the spread, and downed trees and power lines blocked some road access.

Dora was passing more than 500 miles south of Hawaii, and was not expected to make landfall on the island chain. The Category 4 storm is not thought to be directly responsible for the wildfires, but rather added to dry and windy conditions that heighten the risk of such blazes.

Hundreds evacuated, homes destroyed

In the Kula area of Maui, 80 people were evacuated from 40 homes, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said Tuesday.

He said at least two homes were destroyed in a fire that engulfed about 1,100 acre.

He noted that fierce winds were the biggest challenge in confronting the blazes, as the wind conditions are unsafe for helicopters to do water drops.

Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth said that about 400 homes in four communities in the northern part of the island were evacuated Tuesday. He said one roof had caught fire.

Where the blazes are

Two brush fires were burning Tuesday in the Big Island in North and South Kohala, Hawai’i County officials said. 

“A mandatory evacuation was called for in the Kohala Ranch area, and 2 residents have taken shelter at Hisaoka Gymnasium,” the county said in a public notice Tuesday.

Evacuation shelters were opened at Hisaoka Gym in Kapaʻau and the Waimea Community Center in Waimea, officials said.

Wildfires are also burning in Maui, with the biggest blaze believed to be in Lahaina.

An emergency proclamation was issued Tuesday by Lt. Gov Sylvia Luke, activating the Hawaii National Guard. 

Evacuations in Big Island and Maui

Evacuations are underway in Big Island and Maui amid wildfires that are raging across the area, fueled by winds associated with Dora. 

No fatalities reported in wildfire

Officials were not aware of any deaths and knew of only one injury, a firefighter who was in stable condition at a hospital after experiencing smoke inhalation, Maui County spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday. There’s no count available for the number of structures affected by the fires or the number of people affected by evacuations, but she said there are four shelters open, with more than 1,000 people at the largest.

“This is so unprecedented,” she said, noting that multiple districts were affected. An emergency in the night is terrifying, she said, and the darkness makes it hard to gauge the extent of the damage.

Bus routes suspended because of fires

Several transportation services were disrupted Wednesday due to wildfires burning in Maui. 

The Lahaina Islander Route #20, Lahaina Villager Route #23, Kaanapali Islander Route #25, and West Maui Islander Route #28 were suspended until further notice, the county said in a public notice.

Maui Bus ADA Paratransit Service and MEO Human Service Transportation trips to and from and within West Maui were also suspended. 

“All Maui Bus Commuter Services will be suspended until further notice,” the county said.

911 service down in Maui’s west side

First responders faced a hurdle in grappling with wildfires burning in Maui as 911 service went down early Wednesday.

Maui County said on social media the service was unavailable in the island’s west side at 12 a.m. local time (6 a.m. ET).

Locals are urged to call the Lahaina Police Department directly in case of an emergency.