How bad is Maui fire?

It is now the deadliest wildfire incident in the U.S. in over a century, and the worst natural disaster in Hawaii's history. The catastrophe began on Aug. 8. High winds, that some officials say may have been as strong as 60-81 mph, engulfed the area in flames at a rate that was difficult to escape.



People Also Ask

October 8, 2023 Respectful travel to any of the Hawaiian Islands, including the accessible areas of Maui, is welcomed and encouraged, now more than ever. With the exception of Lahaina, West Maui accommodations have begun to reopen to visitors again.

MORE DETAILS

Lahaina fire: Remains 90% contained. Estimated 2,170 acres.

MORE DETAILS

It said the fire on the morning of Aug. 8 “appears to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds.” The Associated Press reported Saturday that bare electrical wire that could spark on contact and leaning poles on Maui were the possible cause.

MORE DETAILS

How the Maui fires consumed Lahaina. The fires on Maui are the deadliest in 100 years of U.S. history. Officials have confirmed the deaths of more than 100 people, with about 1,300 still missing. In Lahaina, West Maui, more than 2,200 homes, apartment buildings and other structures were damaged or destroyed.

MORE DETAILS

The implosion of Maui's economy, of which tourism comprises about 40 percent, has been swift and severe. State economic officials estimate that the island is seeing about 4,250 fewer visitors each day than normal, representing a loss of $9 million a day.

MORE DETAILS

Maui generally enjoys some of the best water quality on earth. Sometimes during winter storms on Maui, Molokai and Lanai water quality can be compromised temporarily by water runoff that carries excessive sediment, nutrients, and pollution called Brown Water Events, characterized by brown-looking water.

MORE DETAILS

In other words, no place on Maui has volcanic hazards equivalent to Lava-Flow Hazard Zones 1 and 2 on Hawai'i Island.

MORE DETAILS

After a great struggle, Maui was able to push the sky beyond the mountains, lifting the edges over the wide expanse of the ocean, where it remains to this day. His effort gave room for all creatures, plants, trees and man to grow and walk tall among nature.

MORE DETAILS

Haleakala, the only active volcano on the Island of Maui, erupted most recently between about 600 and 400 years ago. In the past 1,000 years, at least 10 eruptions produced lava flows and tephra cones from the rift zone that crosses the volcano from southwest to east and through Haleakala Crater.

MORE DETAILS