Maui Fires Update

36 People Confirmed Dead
278 Buildings destroyed
20 people transferred from Maui to a Burn Center in Honolulu, on Oahu
Very sad pictures on Twitter

This story, the tragic fire on Maui Island in the state of Hawaii.

It’s a story of a 300 year old city: Lahaina Maui, which burned down overnight.

Residents were awakened from their slumber to find their city, literally engulfed in flames and smoke. Many residents of this seaside down jumped into the ocean to escape the flames and blinding smoke.

This tragedy occurred due to an out of control forest fire. The fire was whipped into an inferno by unusually high force winds from Hurricane Dora, which is currently 500 miles south of Maui. This category 4 hurricane is making itself felt by generating record breaking high winds throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Lahaina has a population of ten thousand people, according to Hawaii State Tourism statistics.

Background

Lahaina is on the Western dry side of the island.
All Hawaiian islands have green lush eastern sides and dry hot western sides. Lahaina is on the dry, hot west side.

But Maui has a huge forest which grows right up to the border of the town.
A huge brush fire yesterday, resulted in a forest fire in this forest which surged towards the sea Tuesday night and burned down the town overnight.
All the Hawaiian Islands have been hit by unseasonal high winds this week because of Hurricane Dora, a category 4 Hurricane which is currently 500 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, but it’s strength has fanned the flames of wildfires all over the Island Chain.
This brush fire and forest fire which quickly swept through Lāhainā Maui overnight, is believed to have been propelled by these winds.

The brush fire and forest fires spread at an unusual pace, whipped into a fury by the category 4 hurricane Dora, 500 miles south of the Hawaiian island chain.
The fire department was quickly overwhelmed , as was Lahaina, the fire surged through the town as its residents slept.

Pray for Maui