Maui is on Fire!

The Island of Maui is being ravaged by wildfires.

There's a Cat4, Hurricane Dora, passing to the south. high winds but no rain. Brush fires are being fanned by high winds are burning in Olinda, Kula, Makawao, Kihei, Wailuku and Lahaina! Front Street, Lahaina is no more. Flames engulfed the tiny close knit shops on both sides of street and people, caught off guard, were running into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames.

The Coast Guard and National Guard have been called in.

Much of historic Lahaina town believed destroyed as huge wildfire sends people fleeing into water

L ahaina, Wahikuli evacuated as fires ravage across Maui | UPDATE





I spent a good portion of my youth, about 25 years, living on Maui. That was a long time ago, when S Kihei Rd was just a dirt road and there were only 3 hotels on Kaanapali Beach. So, even though Maui isn't as I remember anymore, this is very sad for me to see.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

I have been to Maui several times and actually stayed in Lahaina. That side of the island back when I was there was more on the dry side as compared to tropical. I used to rent a 4 x 4 jeep to drive around the entire island on dirt roads.

All of the fire is terrible. Lahaina was a beautiful town.

The problem is the high winds have knocked out cell towers and 911 service, and are so dangerous that helicopters can't get in there to help. Hospitals are overwhelmed and need to medivac people out to Oahu, but the high winds are effing everything up!

Hawaii's Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN, "911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down. That's been part of the problem ... Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side."

thepointsguy.com...

The winds where I live on the south west coast aren't normal this summer. Nornally, in fall and winter we get hot winds that come off the desert and start fires.

These are more coastal, cooler and stronger than the afternoon breeze that is normal. And they come and go and swirl. Like little tornados but no real heft to them.

I blame the magnetic pole shift.

Thanks for the report. I hadn't seen that anywhere else.

We visited Hawai'i for our son's wedding many many years ago.

originally posted by: Sookiechacha
The problem is the high winds have knocked out cell towers and 911 service, and are so dangerous that helicopters can't get in there to help. Hospitals are overwhelmed and need to medivac people out to Oahu, but the high winds are effing everything up!

"Hawaii's Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN, "911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down. That's been part of the problem ... Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side."
thepointsguy.com...

If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies.

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: Sookiechacha
The problem is the high winds have knocked out cell towers and 911 service, and are so dangerous that helicopters can't get in there to help. Hospitals are overwhelmed and need to medivac people out to Oahu, but the high winds are effing everything up!

"Hawaii's Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN, "911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down. That's been part of the problem ... Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side."
thepointsguy.com...

If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies.

Perhaps, but lines in the ground of a seismic zone seems ill planned...

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
"If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies."

Perhaps, but lines in the ground of a seismic zone seems ill planned...

These "seismic zones" you speak about.... Do they stop at ground level?

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
"If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies."

Perhaps, but lines in the ground of a seismic zone seems ill planned...

These "seismic zones" you speak about.... Do they stop at ground level?

The entire Hawaiian Islands are a seismic zone as far as I know... being volcanic islands and all...

So should things shake as they tend to do, is it easier to repair/replace above ground lines, or subterranean lines?

Here in Florida most places use above ground lines for power and phone lines... I know for a fact that the few, but growing, neighborhoods that went with the more expensive below ground lines take longer to have power restored over them after a storm than those with above ground. Days vs. weeks, even months in some cases. But that's here in Florida where the water sits just a few feet below the surface even in drought years, let alone when there's a few feet of storm water on top. When things flood and trees uproot, below ground lines can short and even snap; and below ground power lines are the last lines that get fixed after an extreme weather event for rather obvious reasons.

Guess they shouldn’t have stopped throwing virgins into volcanos?

originally posted by: shooterbrody
Guess they shouldn’t have stopped throwing virgins into volcanos?

That's so BC shaman mentality...
21st Century shamans are far more accurate... according to them this happened because not enough people are driving RC cars, eating bugs, or chopping down enough trees and corn fields for wind and solar farms.

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: shooterbrody
Guess they shouldn’t have stopped throwing virgins into volcanos?

That's so BC shaman mentality...
21st Century shamans are far more accurate... according to them this happened because not enough people are driving RC cars, eating bugs, or chopping down enough trees and corn fields for wind and solar farms.

Fair
My bad
No intolerance intended

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
"If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies."

Perhaps, but lines in the ground of a seismic zone seems ill planned...

These "seismic zones" you speak about.... Do they stop at ground level?

The entire Hawaiian Islands are a seismic zone as far as I know... being volcanic islands and all...

So should things shake as they tend to do, is it easier to repair/replace above ground lines, or subterranean lines?

Here in Florida most places use above ground lines for power and phone lines... I know for a fact that the few, but growing, neighborhoods that went with the more expensive below ground lines take longer to have power restored over them after a storm than those with above ground. Days vs. weeks, even months in some cases. But that's here in Florida where the water sits just a few feet below the surface even in drought years, let alone when there's a few feet of storm water on top. When things flood and trees uproot, below ground lines can short and even snap; and below ground power lines are the last lines that get fixed after an extreme weather event for rather obvious reasons.

Maybe you're being obtuse for a reason, I don't know. But the OP talked about high winds damaging communication lines, e.g. telephone lines; not electrical lines. And you keep interjecting electric lines into the conversation. Why, I don't know because I don't know of anybody that calls people over the electric power lines.

However.... in your opinion, and on topic, when high winds blow and take down cell towers and above ground telephone lines, which ones are the most expensive to repair and most time consuming? The above ground lines or the undamaged ones below ground? Remember, we have to stay on target with the OP or the mods will not like it. And the OP was talking about the above ground communication lines being damaged and hindering 911 calls and communications. The power lines were something else entirely. Can I get your thoughts about that?

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: GenerationGap

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
"If only they had something like phone lines buried in the ground. Then they couldn't be blown down whenever a storm hits. They need to work on inventing something like that. It would be a lot better and safer during emergencies."

Perhaps, but lines in the ground of a seismic zone seems ill planned...

These "seismic zones" you speak about.... Do they stop at ground level?

The entire Hawaiian Islands are a seismic zone as far as I know... being volcanic islands and all...

So should things shake as they tend to do, is it easier to repair/replace above ground lines, or subterranean lines?

Here in Florida most places use above ground lines for power and phone lines... I know for a fact that the few, but growing, neighborhoods that went with the more expensive below ground lines take longer to have power restored over them after a storm than those with above ground. Days vs. weeks, even months in some cases. But that's here in Florida where the water sits just a few feet below the surface even in drought years, let alone when there's a few feet of storm water on top. When things flood and trees uproot, below ground lines can short and even snap; and below ground power lines are the last lines that get fixed after an extreme weather event for rather obvious reasons.

Maybe you're being obtuse for a reason, I don't know. But the OP talked about high winds damaging communication lines, e.g. telephone lines; not electrical lines. And you keep interjecting electric lines into the conversation. Why, I don't know because I don't know of anybody that calls people over the electric power lines.

However.... in your opinion, and on topic, when high winds blow and take down cell towers and above ground telephone lines, which ones are the most expensive to repair and most time consuming? The above ground lines or the undamaged ones below ground? Remember, we have to stay on target with the OP or the mods will not like it. And the OP was talking about the above ground communication lines being damaged and hindering 911 calls and communications. The power lines were something else entirely. Can I get your thoughts about that?

Power lines are required for com lines to be worth anything at all.

This is tragic. I learned to surf there, such a great spot.

However Location is everything.
Lahaina means Cruel Sun. It’s always been drier than other part of the island.

Lahaina, a historic district in Hawaii, is known for its sunny and dry climate. The Hawaiian language name L hain means "cruel sun," referring to the sunny dry climate. Lahaina's historic district averages only 13 inches (330 mm) of rain per year, much of which occurs from December to February.2

The Kapalua and Napili areas have almost four times the annual rainfall compared to the historic district of Lahaina.

Lahaina has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) with warm temperatures year-round.

Wiki

Here's some pretty harrowing footage. In an earlier report, I heard that no boats in Lahaina Harbor survived the fire. I really don't understand how that happened, but at around the 1:05-minute mark, there's video of a bunch of boats burning in the harbor.



At least 6 people dead.

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

It might be old fashioned but we call it a land line or POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) here in Aussie, many are in the ground, but not all. How ever when it comes to mother nature, fires and floods even this has some issues sometimes.

Best wishes to those affected, it is only time before we are in the same predicament, our winter has been much like spring and we are in a drought once again our coming summer is of great concern. Especially as our average temp has gone up this year.

originally posted by: Sookiechacha

At least 6 people dead.

At least 36 dead now

www.bbc.co.uk...

a reply to: AndyMayhew

This is SO sad. There will be more.

I guess a bunch of people drowned when they ran into the ocean and then were overcome by the smoke. Plus, all those houses that they still have to walk through! There's gonna people that didn't get out...elderly, disabled, people that tried to get out but were overcome by smoke.

I'm gutted!

www.nbcnews.com... 55 dead now

What to know about the wildfires: The deaths of 53 people have been confirmed from fires that tore through Maui, and mass evacuations continue for visitors and residents. Six fires are burning on Maui and the Big Island. Officials reported progress in battling the blazes, saying that the Lahaina fire is now 80% contained. President Joe Biden pledged that the federal disaster response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Dozens of people have been injured, and more than 270 structures have been damaged or destroyed