Hawaii Declares Emergency Amid Hurricane-Driven Wildfires

Smoke blows across the slope of Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii, as a fire burns in Maui's upcountry region on Aug. 8. 2023. Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP

Hawaii has declared a state of emergency due to wildfires that are being fanned by strong winds from a hurricane passing far south of the state and made worse by dry conditions. The National Guard has been called in to support affected regions.

“We are closely following the wildfires caused by the strong winds of Hurricane Dora,” acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said in an Aug. 8 statement. “The safety of our residents is paramount, and this emergency proclamation will activate the [Hawaii] National Guard to support emergency responders in the impacted communities.”

“The disaster emergency relief period shall commence immediately and continue through August 15, 2023, unless terminated or superseded by separate proclamation, whichever shall occur first,” the proclamation said.

Gov. Josh Green will be returning to the islands immediately due to the wildfire emergency, his office said in an Aug. 9 statement.

The emergency declaration authorizes several actions, including empowering the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Administrator of Emergency Management to take appropriate actions.

The emergency powers will allow them to issue alerts and warnings; mobilize state personnel fully or partially; direct the conduct of civilian movement; enforce mandatory evacuation; and shut off critical infrastructure such as water mains, electric power, and gas mains.

Multiple laws have been suspended—including rules related to the rental or sale of essential commodities during emergencies and price increases of commodities.

State general revenue funds will be made available for relief activities that result from Hurricane Dora. The emergency declaration was approved by Matthew S. Dvoch, the acting attorney general for the state.

“Very dry conditions and strong and potentially damaging easterly winds caused by the passage of Hurricane Dora to the south of the State are contributing to the wildfire danger,” the emergency declaration states.

“These fires threaten to cause damages, losses, and suffering of such character and magnitude to affect the health, welfare, and living conditions of a substantial number of persons, and to affect the economy of the State, and has the potential to be of such a nature as to warrant rehabilitative assistance from the State.”

Fires Wreak Havoc

Evacuation orders are in place in the Lahaina, Kula, and Kohala Ranch areas of Hawaii and Maui. Fire crews were battling bushfires on Aug. 8, with hurricane winds helping spread the flames.

Dora, a Category 4 hurricane that’s passing to the south, has sparked winds of up to 80 miles per hour across the island chain, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Owing to the strong winds, helicopters are unable to dump water from the sky or even gauge the actual size of the raging flames, while firefighters were encountering roads blocked by downed trees and power lines as they worked inland fires.

In the northern part of Hawaii, one of the larger fires burned more than 1,800 acres of land. In the town of Lahaina, 1,000 acres have been burned and at least 80 people have been evacuated, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said, according to Fox.

In an interview with CBS, Jeff Powell, a meteorologist in Honolulu, said that Hawaii is sandwiched between a low-pressure system associated with Dora and high pressure in the north. The dryness and gusts “make a dangerous fire situation so that fires that do exist can spread out of control very rapidly.”

“It’s kind of because of Hurricane Dora, but it’s not a direct result,” he said.

In Lahaina, people jumped into the water to escape the flames. Coast Guard Lt. Elaine Simon told CBS that people had turned to water as a refuge. The Coast Guard later confirmed that they had rescued a dozen people.

“Maui can’t handle this. ... A lot of people just lost their jobs because a lot of businesses burned. A lot of people lost their homes. ... This is going to be devastating for Maui,” Alan Dickar, a business owner, told the outlet.

A woman evacuates her horse past a Maui County crew working to clear Olinda Road of wind-blown debris in the fire-threatened area of Kula, Hawaii, on Aug. 8, 2023. Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP

NWS Alert, Power Outage

The National Weather Service in Honolulu issued a Red Flag Warning for all Hawaii islands through 6 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time on Aug. 9.

“Use EXTREME CAUTION with flame. Winds may down power lines, trees, and other hazards; assume downed lines are energized! High surf along east-facing shores could flood roads and cause treacherous waves and currents, especially near harbor entrances,” the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency wrote on Aug. 9 on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Several schools in Maui have shut down because of unsafe conditions. According to data from Poweroutage.us, more than 12,700 customers were experiencing power outages on Aug. 9.

In an Aug. 8 statement, Hawaiian Electric also advised people to assume that any downed power line is energized and dangerous and to stay at least 30 feet away from them.

“Use extreme caution when driving. Power interruptions may cause traffic signals to stop working without warning. If you come to an intersection with a non-working traffic signal, treat it as a four-way stop,” it stated.

“If using a portable generator, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area (outside the home), and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.”