Maui Is On Fire

[Annarchy]

Mt_Rider, is your family safe?

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4145562-hawaii-national-guard-activated-wildfires/

 

 

https://nypost.com/2023/08/09/maui-residents-jump-into-ocean-to-escape-raging-hawaiian-wildfire/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons

[Annarchy]

Lahaina is gone…

 

Live feed on YouTube 

 

 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

[Mother]

 

[Mt_Rider]

Thanks everyone.  I didn't see this and posted [between watching Lahaina burn on yOutube ] about this in RURR. 

 

"home"  is always going to be at least in part, where you raised your kids......

 

Mine burned down last nite.    

 

None of Maui family lives on that side of the island tho...thankfully.  But still friends there.  I'm getting really nervous about a death count.  6 was the last number I heard but they don't even have the fire out yet.  Some jumped into the ocean to escape and Coast Guard cutter was sent up to pick them up.  The whole Lahaina harbor...including dock and boats not moved - BURNED!  The old lighthouse is still standing I think..  BUT it killed the Banyan tree.  2nd oldest in the world. 

 

   

 

...thankful all of mine are safe and accounted for....even some of Jen's friends who grew up with her.  But some the people I know that live in Lahaina ...I don't know about them yet.  

MtRider       

[Mt_Rider]

Thank you all. 

 

My friends near the first start of the fire think they have lost their home and whole neighborhood.    It may have stopped before the schools due to the wind pushing downhill so HARD.  The schools are all at the top of the steep hill except one by the harbor unless they've moved that to new buildings up above.  Cuz those buildings are toast along with the entire harbor area.  I spent a lot of time down there and even worked at that school part time for a while. 

 

By tonite, I'm on overload....seeking out any new information.  Kehei fire is out but two more started upcountry, I think.  Kids/grands still in safe places and the hurricane that sent the WINDS is slowly moving west and is downgrading from Cat4 to a Cat3.  Fighting fire in old buildings with 80mph WIND ...in the DARK..no power or comms!  Brave folks! 

 

If you want to see some before/after pics:

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/08/09/coast-guard-joins-brush-fire-response-lahaina-where-crews-continue-battle-wind-whipped-flames/

 

MtRider    They made me cry!  I have driven and walked on these streets! 

[Mt_Rider]

Talked to both daughters last nite.  DD1 was not really aware of a lot....focused on how to restart her school room after going thru all the rules and safety concerns on their first day back to school.  4th grade teacher and they'd only had one day of school before the fire that night.  School canceled on all of Maui until Monday, at least.  Some school buildings are being used to house thousands of people.  She's trying not to think about it cuz her emotional plate is full with pain from her injured feet.  Pray for her pain and exhaustion starting the new school year in bad shape, please.

 

DD2 is hosting one family who had minutes to get out....nearly everything left behind including a vehicle used for mom's job.    DD2 is more traumatized... devastated....numb.  She's been front and center of this, with her house guests.  One of her best friends since middle school evac-ed with her young daughter and elderly parents.  I've known this family long too.  Thankfully she has taken her group to her sister's house on the other side of Maui.  Their place which has been there a long time, is gone.  DD2 is in shock.  She spent a lot of time there.  Our former house is gone too. 

 

I didn't know the fire had gone that far in that direction so....wow.    Alllllll of it gone?  All that we remember...in ashes?   Whew!  That's hard to imagine.  DD2 is trying not to.    My heart literally hurts.  I'm afraid to look at the names of the dead.  I heard it's up to 36 or so.  Knew it would grow.  That happened too fast.  Some did literally jump out of the flames and into the ocean from Front Street.  It's quite a jump from some places.....if you didn't spend your childhood jumping off Black Rock in front of the Sheraton Hotel.  

 

Soooooo many people homeless.  And Lahaina had a lot of homeless folks already.  Back in the day, I knew most of them, cuz of my job.  So long ago tho.  Faces must have changed by now.  So many without jobs now....and hotel district, tho it didn't burn, will have a drop in tourism.  A moratorium on them right now, in fact.  Sending them off island till Maui can regroup.  Turning them away at the airport. 

 

I'm just rambling....I'm in a bit of shock too.  I hurt for my girls.  I hurt from my friends.  I hurt for my former community. 

 

MtRider  ....God, help them!   

[snapshotmiki]

I'm so sorry your family (and all families) are having to go through that, Mt Rider!  Started praying yesterday.

[Littlesister]

Just finding out about this. Mt. Rider so glad your family is ok. It will take a long while for them to get over the shock of it. But life is more important right now. My step GD in CA, her husband's parents live in Maui. But not sure where. So haven't heard anything from them or if his parents might have been in their summer home in CO. They move back and forth between winter and summer. So, hoping they were in CO but know nothing of rather they still have their home or not. 

This is really bad.  Those fires and the hurricane with it were not good. Just hope and pray everyone is ok. I know there were some lives lost but praying there won't be anymore lost. 

 

[Mt_Rider]

  I spend time today looking for updates on Lahaina.  We'll call DD2 tonite and see how she's holding up.  Yesterday we found that the extent was much further up the coast than we'd hoped.  One of her best friend's (since middle school) home was burned and she (friend) was there taking care of her elderly parents and her young daughter.  They tried pouring water on hot spots as burning ash fell but she had to get all of them out of there.  They bounced thru 2 shelters...got ran out of the first by the encroaching fire.  {fire management people HATE IT when that happens! }  Yes....it kept getting pushed by the crazy strong winds.  She finally ended up at her sister's house on the opposite side of the mountain {ancient volcano, actually}. 

 

I assume with H. Dora speeding on her way ....the EXTRAORDINARY WIND is no longer a problem.  They are still knocking down hot spots.  Trying to clear roadways.  I think some will be/are being let in to check their properties.  Each property has to first be checked for danger from quite a few things before the residents can come back to salvage anything.  Our Colorado communities know this routine too well.   

 

I've been scanning pics ....trying to find where it did and didn't destroy.  Since we've been gone, there is a lot of Lahaina that I don't even recognize.  Of course I'm looking at the ruins.    

 

This is so hard to comprehend.  One's mind just refuses to take in the data.  And the number of dead keeps increasing.  The horror stories of not hearing any alarm system........  WHY DIDN'T THEY SOUND THE ALARM SYSTEM?  Not cell phones....cell towers were down int he wind!  The NOISE one!  Do NOT tell me it doesn't work cuz wind knocked the power out.  An alarm system needs to have an independent power system!!!!!!!   I've read of younger folks literally running ahead of the flames!  Old ones....not so much.  Some folks hid down behind the sea wall as sparks flew over their heads.  When it got too hot, they dipped into the ocean but had to fight the sparks/debris.  Can you imagine that for hours of the night....lit by flames of your town burning? 

 

I pray that when the money, goods, "services" starts to roll in......that they will be respectful and not out for the notoriety, or profit.  The SLEAZE will arrive and ...God, PLEASE give the residents clarity on what to sign/accept/believe!      Too many folks are seeing $$$$$$$$$$ on the most lucrative side of the island. 

 

MtRider     

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider, that is a very dangerous situation to be in. I am grateful that your family was spared for the most part. I know you have friends there as well, and hope that they too are doing ok. I am sure that some of them lost homes or had damage to those homes, but the main thing is they are all doing ok.  Houses and things can be replaced and though it is hard to lose things in fires like that, we all must remember that things can be replaced. It's the people we need to be praying for.  

Still praying for all the people in Maui. I know it will be some tough times going forward but all will come together for them in the end. 

[Ambergris]

Maybe this will be the impetus for them (and you) to move together somewhere.

Although maybe not to Central Asia.

[Jeepers]

I just found out about this.   No TV and no internet for a week.

It's all so sad.    I hope your family and friends remain well! 

I can't even imagine. I also hope the money goes to the right people who really need it 

 

[Jeepers]

4 hours ago, Ambergris said:

Maybe this will be the impetus for them (and you) to move together somewhere.

Although maybe not to Central Asia.

 

I know some nice folks in Indiana who would love to have y'all for neighbors! 

We do have tornadoes but they move on through pretty fast. Very fast actually.  

[Mt_Rider]

On 8/12/2023 at 10:51 AM, Ambergris said:

Although maybe not to Central Asia.

 

   

[Midnightmom]

On 8/9/2023 at 8:22 PM, Mt_Rider said:

I'm on overload....seeking out any new information.

 

On 8/11/2023 at 5:20 PM, Mt_Rider said:

I spend time today looking for updates on Lahaina.

 

Have you seen my post in RRRR? Lots of daily updates. Interviews with survivors/witnesses. Lists of items needed, etc.

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Midnightmom