Nearly two years to the day since devastating wildfires that killed more than 100 people and left thousands homeless the Hawaiian island of Maui is fighting another blaze in roughly the same location.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency said on Monday that firefighters were “slowly containing” a brush fire in the hills above Ka’anapali, about two miles north of the deadly 2023 Lahaina wildfire.
The Honoapiilani Highway was closed for about two and a half hours on Monday afternoon while helicopters drew water from the ocean to dump on the fire, officials said.
“This is an emergency evacuation order. Leave immediately,” the agency told Ka’anapali residents at around 1.48 p.m. local time.
“Do not delay. Evacuate now and drive away from fire. Smoke and debris may be hazardous.”
In under an hour the evacuation order was lifted after firefighters succeeded in stopping the blaze from spreading any further.
The wildfire that broke out in the same area on August 8, 2023, was the country’s fifth deadliest such event on record, tearing through and almost destroying the historical town of Lahaina.
After five months, more than 6,000 people on the island were without permanent long-term shelter with the American Red Cross housing displaced residents in empty rooms in hotels and condos.
The tragedy exposed dangerous gaps in Hawaii’s fire prevention planning and infrastructure, while a later investigative report accused state officials of failing to prepare for or respond to the fire with enough urgency.
But now officials say things have changed.
“We’re all more aware,” Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen told Maui Now last week. “I think we’re more on guard. I think we probably all do a better job of taking care of each other, helping each other.”
The Maui Fire Department’s total budget has grown from $60 million to $70m, with another $190m for housing assistance, recovery, repairs, and disaster mitigation.
More firefighters and support staff have been hired, as well as more inspectors to check on potential fire hazards. New job roles have also been created to help relieve some of the demand on fire battalion commanders.
More emergency vehicles have been ordered, and existing ones have been upgraded with thermal imaging devices. There are also more weather stations and cameras, and a new electricity plan that calls for power lines to be shut down when the risk of fire is particularly high.
