Follow live updates about wildfires that are racing across part of Maui in Hawaii, destroying sections of a historic town on the island and forcing some to flee to the relative safety of the ocean, where the Coast Guard rescued them. The fires forced evacuations in some areas, including the popular tourist spot of Lahaina Town. The National Weather Service says Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of the island chain at a safe distance, was partly to blame for strong winds driving the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.
President Joe Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening that he has ordered “all available Federal assets” to help combat wildfires that have devastated parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui, killing at least six people.
The president said the Coast Guard and Navy are supporting response and rescue efforts, while the Marines are providing Black Hawk helicopters to fight the fires. The Hawaii National Guard has mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression and search and rescue operations.
Biden said the Transportation Department is working with commercial airlines to evacuate tourists from the island, while the Interior and Agriculture departments “stand ready to support post fire recovery efforts.”
In his statement, the president offered “condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones” and expressed gratitude toward “the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger.”
Firefighting crews were continuing to battle fires in Lahaina, Pulehu and Upcountry, the County of Maui said on Facebook Wednesday afternoon. More than 2,100 people were housed overnight in four emergency shelters, the county said. Another 2,000 travelers were sheltering at the Kahului Airport.
The wildfires ripping through Maui left a swath of devastation for blocks in the historic town of Lahaina, videos and photos of the tourist destination show.
Historic buildings along Lahaina‘s popular Front Street were charred and flattened skeletons on Wednesday, powerlines were draped across roadways and abandoned cars were blackened husks.
Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company, flew over the fire site on Wednesday and was shocked by a scene where it “looked like a bomb went off.”
“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that. We had tears in our eyes, the other pilots on board and the mechanics and me,” he said, recalling even the boats in the harbor were burned.
“We never thought we’d experience anything like this in our whole life,” he continued.
Lahaina holds strong cultural significance. It was the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom under Kings Kamehameha II and III from 1820 to 1845, and served as a main port for the North Pacific whaling fleet, according to the National Park Service.
“We got out in the nick of time yesterday,” recalled Lahaina resident Keʻeaumoku Kapu. He was at the cultural center he runs in the historic section of town Tuesday, tying down lose objects in the wind, when his wife showed up at around 4 p.m. and said they needed to evacuate. “Right at that time, things got crazy. The wind started picking up,” he said.
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. It was that quick.”
They didn’t have time to pack up anything at their cultural center, Na Aikane o Maui, where they “had years and years of research material, artifacts,” he said.
They drove south to Maalaea, where they spent the night in the truck.
“Every time the wind blows, oh man, it’s like reliving it again,” Kapu said.
He said winds were still strong Wednesday. He got word that his home, in a section of Lahaina closer to the mountains, was OK. But he was eager to see for himself. He said “there’s probably a couple hundred people here waiting for the roads to open.”
Officials are preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to accommodate up to 4,000 people displaced by the wildfires that swept across parts of Maui.
