911 services and communications are down as wildfires burn in Maui, official says
From CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam and Robert Shackelford
Maui's 911 service is currently down and resorts, visitors and commercial districts have lost communication due to downed cell towers, according to Mahina Martin, chief communications officer at the Maui Emergency Management Agency.
Landlines only work within very local areas, she told CNN.
There are currently three active wildfires in three different areas across the island of Maui — one notably on the West Side District on Maui, which has a combination of resorts, hotels, residential homes and businesses, Martin explained, adding that the upcountry area, where officials have previously estimated fires to be about 1,000 acres, is primarily residential homes and businesses.
18 min ago
Thousands are without power in Maui County
From CNN’s Chris Boyette
Thousands of Hawaiian Electric Company customers on Maui are without power Wednesday morning as winds from Hurricane Dora — a Category 4 storm about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu — are fueling wildfires.
As of 1:20 a.m. local time (7:20 a.m. ET), 14,114 customers — nearly 20% of the county — were without power, according to Poweroutage.us.
12 min ago
12 people in Maui County were rescued after they jumped into the ocean to escape wildfire danger
From CNN's Amanda Jackson
A screenshot from a video shows the fire burning in Lahaina, Maui County, on Tuesday. courtesy Jayson Duque
Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of Hawaii, helped fuel wildfires across the state's Big Island and Maui that have damaged structures, prompted rescues and even spurred people to jump into the ocean to escape danger, according to officials.
In Maui County, 12 people were rescued near Lahaina after “entering the ocean due to smoke and fire conditions,” the Coast Guard and county officials said. “Individuals were transported by the Coast Guard to safe areas,” Maui County officials said in a news release.
Dora, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.
24 min ago
Erratic winds and steep terrain in areas of Maui are challenging crews battling wildfires
From CNN's Amanda Jackson
Smoke blows across the slope of Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii, as a fire burns in Maui's upcountry region on Tuesday. Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP
Category 4 Hurricane Dora — which is churning about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu — is fueling wildfires across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui.
Fire behavior in both the Lahaina and Upcountry areas of Maui has tested crews.
“Maui Fire officials warn that erratic wind, challenging terrain, steep slopes and dropping humidity, the direction and the location of the fire conditions make it difficult to predict path and speed of a wildfire,” Maui County officials said in a Tuesday news release.
“The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui County Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea said in the release. “Burning airborne materials can light fires a great distance away from the main body of fire.”
A wall of flames destroyed businesses on Front Street in Lahaina, video from the area shows, CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now reported.
“Buildings on both sides were engulfed. There were no fire trucks at that point; I think the fire department was overwhelmed,” business owner Alan Dickar told the news outlet. “That is the most important business street on Maui.”
43 min ago
Emergency proclamation issued as hurricane-fueled wildfires prompt evacuations in Hawaii
From CNN's Amanda Jackson
A wildfire burns in Lahaina, Maui County, on Tuesday. courtesy Jayson Duque
Evacuations are underway across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as Hurricane Dora, which is in the Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii, helped fuel wildfires that have damaged structures.
Dora, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.
There were no hurricane watches or warnings in effect for Hawaii. Winds of 70 to 80 mph were recorded on the Big Island, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN.
Two brush fires were burning Tuesday on the Big Island, officials said in a news release, one in the North Kohala District and the other in the South Kohala District. Some residents were under mandatory evacuation orders as power outages were impacting communications, the release said.
The Upcountry fire is estimated to be about 1,000 acres, according to county officials. The cause of the fire was unknown.
Luke, who is acting as the governor as Gov. Josh Green is traveling out of the state, issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday, activating the Hawaii National Guard "to support emergency responders in the impacted communities."
CNN’s Aya Elamroussi and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
Evacuations are underway across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as wildfires have damaged structures, prompted rescues and even spurred some to jump into the ocean to escape danger, officials said.
The Hawaii National Guard was activated to support emergency responders in the impacted communities in an emergency proclamation issued Tuesday by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who is acting as the governor while Gov. Josh Green travels out of the state.
Hurricane Dora, which is in the Pacific Ocean south of the state, is fueling wildfires. The powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday local time (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.
In an area with limited connectivity? Get the latest news here.
Maui's 911 service is currently down and resorts, visitors and commercial districts have lost communication due to downed cell towers, according to Mahina Martin, chief communications officer at the Maui Emergency Management Agency.
Landlines only work within very local areas, she told CNN.
There are currently three active wildfires in three different areas across the island of Maui — one notably on the West Side District on Maui, which has a combination of resorts, hotels, residential homes and businesses, Martin explained, adding that the upcountry area, where officials have previously estimated fires to be about 1,000 acres, is primarily residential homes and businesses.
Thousands of Hawaiian Electric Company customers on Maui are without power Wednesday morning as winds from Hurricane Dora — a Category 4 storm about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu — are fueling wildfires.
As of 1:20 a.m. local time (7:20 a.m. ET), 14,114 customers — nearly 20% of the county — were without power, according to Poweroutage.us.
A screenshot from a video shows the fire burning in Lahaina, Maui County, on Tuesday. courtesy Jayson Duque
Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of Hawaii, helped fuel wildfires across the state's Big Island and Maui that have damaged structures, prompted rescues and even spurred people to jump into the ocean to escape danger, according to officials.
In Maui County, 12 people were rescued near Lahaina after “entering the ocean due to smoke and fire conditions,” the Coast Guard and county officials said. “Individuals were transported by the Coast Guard to safe areas,” Maui County officials said in a news release.
Dora, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.
Smoke blows across the slope of Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii, as a fire burns in Maui's upcountry region on Tuesday. Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP
Category 4 Hurricane Dora — which is churning about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu — is fueling wildfires across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui.
Fire behavior in both the Lahaina and Upcountry areas of Maui has tested crews.
“Maui Fire officials warn that erratic wind, challenging terrain, steep slopes and dropping humidity, the direction and the location of the fire conditions make it difficult to predict path and speed of a wildfire,” Maui County officials said in a Tuesday news release.
“The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui County Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea said in the release. “Burning airborne materials can light fires a great distance away from the main body of fire.”
A wall of flames destroyed businesses on Front Street in Lahaina, video from the area shows, CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now reported.
“Buildings on both sides were engulfed. There were no fire trucks at that point; I think the fire department was overwhelmed,” business owner Alan Dickar told the news outlet. “That is the most important business street on Maui.”
A wildfire burns in Lahaina, Maui County, on Tuesday. courtesy Jayson Duque
Evacuations are underway across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as Hurricane Dora, which is in the Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii, helped fuel wildfires that have damaged structures.
Dora, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.
There were no hurricane watches or warnings in effect for Hawaii. Winds of 70 to 80 mph were recorded on the Big Island, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN.
Two brush fires were burning Tuesday on the Big Island, officials said in a news release, one in the North Kohala District and the other in the South Kohala District. Some residents were under mandatory evacuation orders as power outages were impacting communications, the release said.
The Upcountry fire is estimated to be about 1,000 acres, according to county officials. The cause of the fire was unknown.
Luke, who is acting as the governor as Gov. Josh Green is traveling out of the state, issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday, activating the Hawaii National Guard "to support emergency responders in the impacted communities."
CNN’s Aya Elamroussi and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
