Maui

[wvjules]

Anyone following the devastation on Maui? Death toll up to 36 currently. Front St. in Lahania (including the Banayan tree) is destroyed. The outlet mall gone. Photos and videos look like the apocalypse.

I know there are fires on the other islands but Maui is just being destroyed.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-...es-lahaina-capital-hawaiian-kingdom-rcna99098

 

[CdnCarrie]

So sad.

 

[Dan Murphy]

It really is stunning. We don't really think of wildfires in Hawaii. At least I don't. It is devastating, with such a loss of life. We were there once, years ago. Lahaina was such a quaint, historic city.

 

[yorkieteacher]

We just returned from Oahu. Hawaii is so beautiful- this just breaks my heart.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

It's horrible, and devastating.

 

[GAN]

Very sad... What was the cause of the original fire or is that unknown? I haven't followed too closely...

 

[Meriweather]

It is horrible and so sad.

 

[gmi3804]

It's so unfair that a place that's one of the more ecologically conscious places is the one to succumb to the ravages of climate change. And now that the ocean levels are rising, more of these island locations are going to be the ones in big trouble of eradication.

 

[CynBeth]

Oh no when we were in Maui as part of our honeymoon over 20 years ago we would go there for dinner every night they had some great restaurants like Hard Rock, Bubba Gump, and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

 

[GAN]

It's so unfair that a place that's one of the more ecologically conscious places is the one to succumb to the ravages of climate change. And now that the ocean levels are rising, more of these island locations are going to be the ones in big trouble of eradication.

I don't believe they've identified an actual cause at this point -but clearly the drier conditions and winds fueled the fires

 

[iivye]

We stayed in Lahaina in May. It was a beautiful area and it's awful that it has been destroyed. I think of all the businesses there that struggled to get through COVID and are now gone not to mention the homes of the locals. Very sad.

 

[lynxstch]

According to Hawaiian Airlines, the ongoing wildfires were caused by Hurricane Dora. I don't normally think of hurricanes causing fires, but I guess anything is possible.

 

[DLgal]

According to Hawaiian Airlines, the ongoing wildfires were caused by Hurricane Dora. I don't normally think of hurricanes causing fires, but I guess anything is possible.

The winds from the hurricane fueled the flames.

This is what happens in Southern California every fall. We get hot, dry desert winds called Santa Ana's. A tiny fire can explode to numerous acres in a matter of minutes when you have 50-70mph winds that are constant.

Most of our fires here start from something minor, like a spark from a car crash along a grassy highway, or someone throwing a cigarette butt out a car window. It is astonishing how quickly a fire can rage out of control when the vegetation is dry. I'm guessing Hawaii was in some sort of dry spell recently.

 

[MGMmjl]

The winds from the hurricane fueled the flames.

This is what happens in Southern California every fall. We get hot, dry desert winds called Santa Ana's. A tiny fire can explode to numerous acres in a matter of minutes when you have 50-70mph winds that are constant.

Most of our fires here start from something minor, like a spark from a car crash along a grassy highway, or someone throwing a cigarette butt out a car window. It is astonishing how quickly a fire can rage out of control when the vegetation is dry. I'm guessing Hawaii was in some sort of dry spell recently.

Looks like parts of Maui are under severe drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor:

 

[DLgal]

Looks like parts of Maui are under severe drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor:

View attachment 784423

Well, there you go. It's a really sad situation. The next thing that will happen is insurance companies will pull out of Hawaii too.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Very tragic. I’ve been to Hawaii once, many years ago, and we drove all over the island of Maui. So beautiful, a true paradise for tourists. Feel terrible for the local residents.

 

[Kwami]

The town's website says this about the banyan tree:

"the banyan tree is charred (it’s said that if the roots are healthy, it will likely grow back, but it looks burned)."

So, that's some good news, maybe. The tree isn't gone, anyway, despite some reports from yesterday.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I visit another forum. One member is from Honolulu. She has posted that she knows several people in Maui and have not heard from any. She is a wreck. My thoughts and prayers go out to them all.

 

[bcla]

It really is stunning. We don't really think of wildfires in Hawaii. At least I don't. It is devastating, with such a loss of life. We were there once, years ago. Lahaina was such a quaint, historic city.

The western side and mountain regions of Maui are much drier than the eastern side. I've heard one of the issues in the area are all the abandoned sugar cane and pineapple plantations that have been allowed to grow uncontrollably.

And it's just me being trivial, but Maui has no cities. It's all one county government on Maui, Lanai, and Molakai.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I visit another forum. One member is from Honolulu. She has posted that she knows several people in Maui and have not heard from any. She is a wreck. My thoughts and prayers go out to them all.

I think I read earlier that the fires took out quite a bit of the communications infrastructure from the west side of the island, including cell towers, and that people just aren't able to get through. I hope that is the reason and not something worse. I would never think of Hawaii as being a place for major wildfires.