Fires on Maui and in Lahaina

[jabberwocky]

Well yes, but what I meant is are they trying to leave after that, assuming that at some point they can get their belongings. Many of those properties have evacuated so there may be no way for them to get in to get anything. What a mess.

Saw this posted on the Maui TA forum:

Speaking to a representative at Westin Ka’anapali about cancelling our reservations right now, she telling me there are 8 other hotels that has evacuated their ALL guest including Westin Ka’anapali.

The closest situation I can think of that is comparable to this would be the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray. Very remote and essentially a single road in/out (going north and south from the city), whole subdivisions were wiped out. Over 66k people were evacuated without any direct loss of life.

I reached out to a friend who was with the Canadian military and helping to lead the disaster response back then (he works for a large NGO leading disaster response preparedness).

He said that while a site maybe considered evacuated, they will still give permission to enter the area to recover select personal items where safe to do so. The protocol is typically to limit the amount of time and number of people entering the area. They could also be escorted if necessary.

While everything is on a case by case basis, I suspect they will figure something out.

 

[Luanne]

The closest situation I can think of that is comparable to this would be the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray. Very remote and essentially a single road in/out (going north and south from the city), whole subdivisions were wiped out. Over 66k people were evacuated without any direct loss of life.

I reached out to a friend who was with the Canadian military and helping to lead the disaster response back then (he works for a large NGO leading disaster response preparedness).

He said that while a site maybe considered evacuated, they will still give permission to enter the area to recover select personal items where safe to do so. The protocol is typically to limit the amount of time and number of people entering the area. They could also be escorted if necessary.

While everything is on a case by case basis, I suspect they will figure something out.

My best friend. lost everything in the Paradise Camp Fire in 2018. I can't remember how long she had to wait to get back in to see if anything was left.

 

[lynne]

For those who lost their home on Maui, our friends Linda and Curt (Maui Kokuakats) have opened their home :

We can accommodate people, dogs and cats. Surf Cat Ranch. In Haiku. 808-572-3590 land line

 

[slip]

Helicopters were finally able to fly over our devlepment looking for breakouts and civil defense finally rescinded the the mandatory evacuation - now for the massive cleanup!

The wind has been crazy. That's why we were out if power for 12 hours. The winds slowed down a bit and I hope that continues.

 

[TravelTime]

The closest situation I can think of that is comparable to this would be the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray. Very remote and essentially a single road in/out (going north and south from the city), whole subdivisions were wiped out. Over 66k people were evacuated without any direct loss of life.

I reached out to a friend who was with the Canadian military and helping to lead the disaster response back then (he works for a large NGO leading disaster response preparedness).

He said that while a site maybe considered evacuated, they will still give permission to enter the area to recover select personal items where safe to do so. The protocol is typically to limit the amount of time and number of people entering the area. They could also be escorted if necessary.

While everything is on a case by case basis, I suspect they will figure something out.

Maui is burning on a very large scale. I am sad and shocked and my heart goes out to everyone especially the loss of life, which will be huge when all is said and done. In CA, there are many huge fires every year so this is not unusual to me. The town next to us had a major wildfire about 3 years ago. It is a tiny rural town where 100 residential homes burned and this is a large percentage of the homes in that town. Last year, there were so many fires that we could barely breathe for days at a time several times in the summer. They had to close the schools due to the poor air quality. People could not exercise outdoors. I am worried we will get lung cancer with so many fires near us. Today the fire danger was high, according to the weather report in our toen. An entire town named Paradise, CA, was completely wiped out in 2018. There was another huge fire in Santa Rosa, CA (near the Wine Country) and a friend lost her home. The Wine Country has had many big fires with major losses. A few years back, there was a huge fire in Carmel, CA and a firefighter lost his life. In fact, 2 firefighters in 2 different fires lost their lives in the same exact place. I do not know about all the loss of life in CA dues to fires but it is probably quite a bit. In Northern CA, we have had rolling blackouts because the electric company does not want to take the risk of starting another big fire like it did a few years back. We purchased a whole house generator after that. In CA, people are evacuated quite often. I pray every Fall that we will not have a huge fire again, not just in CA but anywhere in the West or elsewhere where fires are common. I am not trying to minimize the tragedy in Maui but it seems people may have lost awareness of how big wildfires are a danger all over nowadays.

 

[TravelTime]

My best friend. lost everything in the Paradise Camp Fire in 2018. I can't remember how long she had to wait to get back in to see if anything was left.

That fire was huge. Having a town disappear is huge. Was that the one started by PGE?

 

[Yzfguy06]

That fire was huge. Having a town disappear is huge. Was that the one started by PGE?

They have been blamed for a lot of fires in california.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Was that the one started by PGE?

indications are that a significant % of the fires in Northern CA over the last "N" yrs were caused by PGE. Not one. Not sure how many actually got decided rather than negotiated out of court.
I just read recently that the analyst at UBS upgraded the stock because PGE had lowered the chance of starting more fires by something like 90%. (These #s come from models. They don't really know. What happens, happens.)
There was the summer we got that bizarre lightning storm in mid-summer, which started many fires all at once. I remember waking up, around 2:30 am I think it was. I thought "is that rain? in the middle of the summer?" I reached over to rotate the blinds and look out the window. Then I thought "is that lightning? in CA? When have I ever seen lightning here before?" Back to sleep. Next day. Fires here. Fires there. But other than that, PGE was a prime suspect in a high % of them. All negotiable of course.

 

[Luanne]

That fire was huge. Having a town disappear is huge. Was that the one started by PGE?

PG&E was found responsible.

 

[easyrider]

I kind of wonder how the Lahaina water front will be rebuilt. Currently, no building is allowed to be any higher than 35 ft in the historic district but the historic district is gone. The way things work over there is nothing happens very fast except clean up.

Bill

 

[jabberwocky]

Just to give a sense of how extensive this is. This is a satellite overlay from the heat signatures given off by the fire today. As you can see, it’s devastated Lahaina.

Source: NASA https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.go...viirs,modis_a,modis_t,street;@-156.7,20.9,13z

 

[slip]

I just heard on the news that the Banyan Tree is charred but may be salvageable. The Pioneer Inn is gone though.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

nothing happens very fast except clean up

$64,000,000,000 question. Lahaina could be far far better in 10 yrs than it was 10 days ago. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if the HI govt spends so much time playing "Oh woe is us" & "We want our old Lahaina back" that it takes (much) longer than 10 yrs and ends up woefully under-utilized. Time for HI govt to put up or ...

 

[learnalot]

So much devastation! I made a donation through the Red Cross this morning. Hawaiian Airlines miles can also be donated through Hawaiian's website and they are matching donations up to 30 million miles for the month of August.

 

[easyrider]

$64,000,000,000 question. Lahaina could be far far better in 10 yrs than it was 10 days ago. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if the HI govt spends so much time playing "Oh woe is us" & "We want our old Lahaina back" that it takes (much) longer than 10 yrs and ends up woefully under-utilized. Time for HI govt to put up or ...

Lahaina is the historic Capitol of the Hawaiian Nation.

Bill

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Lahaina is the historic Capitol of the Hawaiian Nation.

Bill

Yes. I know. It will get extremely emotional. That never helps produce a good result. It is not as though the Hawaiian Nation had the original Ruth's Chris. But Lahaina had one. It was the sorriest excuse for an "upscale" steakhouse in a resort area that I have seen, undoubtedly due to these issues.

 

[tborr123]

I hope they take lessons from Munich, which rebuilt after the war but replicated the historic buildings. Unlike Frankfurt, with its gleaming stainless steel highrises.

 

[Ckhawaii]

I lived in lahaina and west maui for a few years after school and this whole thing is just devestating. The restaurant I worked at and my ohana I lived in are probably gone, but what’s on my mind is the people in that town that have lived there for years, or someone’s kid that got lost on the way to law school and is bartending on front street. A lot of people lived in the 270 structures that burnt to the ground, I pray for all of them.

If you have any upcoming vacation to Maui planned, cancel it, even if it cost you some money or some points, etc. They are going to need your business and money soon, but not now.

 

[pspercy]

Lahaina is the historic Capitol of the Hawaiian Nation.

Bill

It will not be a quick rebuild.
All the self-appointed "activists" will come out of the woodwork,
After all, they delayed the wreck removal from Kaanapali beach for weeks/months then at the last minute torpedoed the project with the State to repair the beachwalk there too.

Was going to start booking for Fall 2024 but maybe skip Maui next year

 

[slip]

Death toll just officially increased to 36.

 

[AnnaS]

So so sad to hear on the news this morning 36 dead. Such devastation. Heartbreaking.

 

[Brett]

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/fires-on-maui-and-in-lahaina.355424/

 

[NTP66]

I have zero say in this, but I would personally want to see Lahaina rebuilt modeling after the original, with the same historic requirements (the 35' tall max is a good one). Definitely would not want to see high rises, resorts, etc.

We have next July 4th booked, and I'm not sure what we'll do at this point. I would almost feel guilty about visiting given what is going on.

 

[mdurette]

FYI - if anyone knows anyone on Maui that needs to evacuate. Check Southwest Airlines. They have $19 flights to other islands.

 

[NTP66]

I'm going to have to keep a close eye on how Marriott handles this. I have renters staying at MOC in mid-February next year, and am worried about what will happen to that reservation. I know it's a ways away, but if they want to cancel I'd have to figure out what kind of recourse I have. I imagine since I'm a deeded owner, I'd be SOL. I could enroll in II, which I could also do with my July 4 week unit, I guess.