A couple of months ago Lahaina town burned to the ground with only a few houses spared. It took only a few hours for the firestorm to spread in 60 mph hurricane driven winds. The fallout from that continues to this day. Most people lost everything and those whose homes survived, did not have power, internet or access to supplies until local grass roots organizations collected donations and delivered them by private boats and jet skis because the harbor was also burned. Some of those homes ended up as makeshift supply centers for the community. But now, they are starting to get back to normal. And a few of those donation centers have decided to go on the road (now that the road has reopened) and bring supplies to those living in the community mostly the elderly that could not get to the donation centers earlier. They were dependent on neighbors to get food and essential things for them.
People are now being allowed to see what is left of their former homes, 97 people have been confirmed lost, some of the missing were found, others are still missing. It will take years to rebuild. Now, there is so much toxic waste and ash that needs to be cleared out before any rebuilding can start. Homes were not the only things lost. Most of the businesses were lost as well as jobs. Some of those businesses have already said that they are not going to reopen. Many of those had generational family businesses and it would be to hard to start over and it would not be the same.
There were 5 wildfires that day. Homes were also lost in Kula, but no lives.
It has made everyone aware of the danger of wildfires and the vulnerability of communities with one way in and out access.
There has been a fire burning in the mountain since October 30. I live about 6 miles from it. The houses on the edge of the subdivision are getting ash rained on them. The fire started a mile from them in an inaccessible forested area. Because of the location of the fire, it was too dangerous to attack the fire from the ground. The fire department is using its two helicopters, 2 army chinooks, and a national guard helicopter to make repeated water drops on the fire during daylight hours. The fire is moving away from the homes but the smoke and BBQ smell is constant. The acreage burned seems to be doubling every day, with 30% containment People are being told to stay in place unless they have breathing problems, then they need to find somewhere to go. No homes have been threatened. It seems like deja vu. I am sure before the Lahaina fire re-surged and charged down the hill, this is the same smoke and smell they experienced and believed that it was under control because the firefighters were there protecting their town. At least we don't have 60 mph winds to deal with.
The smoke can be seen all the way to Ewa, and yesterday as I was going down the mountain, and passed the gulch, there was thick smoke and a strong burnt odor. Later in Pearl City, I could see the cloud of smoke rising from the mountain and the smokey haze in a streak toward the west. We could even smell the smoke in Pearl City nearly 8 miles away.
Early this morning around 4 a.m. I heard the firetruck go down my street. The firemen must be tired they have been busy with the fire and their usual calls. It was interesting to note that they have a portable pool set up in a park in the Mauka subdivision and used it to refill the water buckets for the helicopters. This way they would not have to go far to refill. Today, I can smell the burnt odor and my eyes are burning. These past days, the smoke was thick around the Town Center, but it did not really reach my house.
This is November, there has not been much rain and there won't be any expected especially with El Nino, but it is unusual to have fires still burning this late in the year.