Hurricane Dora and Hawaii fires

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Thu 10/08/2023 11:41

Wild fires fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora have destroyed the beautiful historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui. I know this town well, so very sad to see this.
https://twitter.com/WxNB_/status/168938 ... gr%5Etweet
https://twitter.com/petergyang/status/1 ... gr%5Etweet

Simon Culling · Unread post by **Simon Culling** » Thu 10/08/2023 12:57

There have also been at least 6 fatalities as per this recent BBC report. Wildfires seem to be happening in many parts of the globe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66451821

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Thu 10/08/2023 13:18

I have friends with an art gallery on Front Street and I can see the gallery is totally destroyed.

Simon Culling · Unread post by **Simon Culling** » Thu 10/08/2023 22:12

This has escalated since I last looked at it. The BBC are now reporting a very large casualty figure of 36 people for Maui, with some still unaccounted for. This fire must have moved very quickly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66460401

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 10/08/2023 22:38

Interesting to see what started these fires?
I know that Hawaii is a volcanic series of islands up there in the Pacific. Is Maui a volcanic island?
There must be a lot of vegetation around so probably it isn't.

Karliosis · Unread post by **Karliosis** » Thu 10/08/2023 23:25

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote: ↑Thu 10/08/2023 22:38 Is Maui a volcanic island?

All of Hawaii's Islands are volcanic in origin. Maui's only active volcano Haleakala, hasn't erupted in 400+ years (per USGS) so that wont be the cause.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sat 12/08/2023 09:41

There was a small fire near Lahaina during the day that was said to be under control. It was a particularly windy day. The fire service would have been busy with other fires on the Island.
Drought was mentioned as a factor but the Lahaina area is always dry in Summer, Lahaina climate data here . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahaina,_Hawaii average Summer rainfall just 12.7mm.
Power and general phone/ internet are still out for West Maui.

Simon Culling · Unread post by **Simon Culling** » Sat 12/08/2023 12:24

These are the METARS for roughly 6am to 6pm local time at Kahului Intl Airport (which is on the north coast of Maui) when I think the peak of the fires struck. The town of Lahaina is on the W/NW coast and downslope NE winds there would likely have been quite a bit stronger - the TV pictures suggest sustained winds of 30kts and perhaps 40kts during the worst of the fires.

PHOG 090354Z 05017G26KT 10SM FEW030 28/20 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND 05032/0317 SLP195 T02780200
PHOG 090254Z 05023G32KT 10SM FEW030 29/20 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 07034/0209 SLP191 T02890200 56003
PHOG 090154Z 05021G33KT 10SM FEW040 30/19 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 05037/0117 SLP191 T03000194
PHOG 090054Z 05023G35KT 10SM FEW040 31/20 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 05035/0050 SLP192 T03060200
PHOG 082354Z 05022G28KT 10SM FEW045 31/20 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND 05035/2320 SLP195 T03060200 58010
PHOG 082254Z COR 05022G33KT 10SM FEW045 29/20 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND 04037/2238 SLP199
PHOG 082154Z 05021G34KT 10SM FEW025 FEW060 30/19 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 07035/2116 SLP201 T03000194
PHOG 082054Z 06020G32KT 10SM FEW040 31/19 A3012 RMK AO2 PK WND 05035/2014 SLP205 T03060194 58005
PHOG 081954Z 06020G33KT 10SM FU FEW040 28/20 A3013 RMK AO2 PK WND 04037/1929 SLP208 T02780200
PHOG 081854Z 05021G35KT 10SM FU FEW035 A3013 RMK AO2 PK WND 06035/1827 SLP209
PHOG 081754Z 05017G26KT 10SM FU FEW030 SCT040 27/20 A3014 RMK AO2 PK WND 04031/1707 SLP209 T02720200 10272 20250 51011
PHOG 081654Z 05016G27KT 10SM FU FEW030 SCT045 26/20 A3013 RMK AO2 PK WND 05030/1628 SLP209 T02560200 /
PHOG 081554Z 05017G25KT 10SM CLR 26/19 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP203 T02560189

Orion · Unread post by **Orion** » Sat 12/08/2023 17:36

Lahaina Wildfire Update, from Blancolirio channel. [10:07]

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Sun 13/08/2023 00:39

Has Maui had wildfires in the past? Seems like a dry region in Hawaii ?
Obviously not a high rainfall in that part of the Pacific?

Simon Culling · Unread post by **Simon Culling** » Sun 13/08/2023 07:07

This suggests that Hurricane Dora was not the influence it is still being claimed it was on the news channels. Worth watching - it is only a minute long.

https://twitter.com/bhensonweather/stat ... 4250859520

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sun 13/08/2023 15:00

The vegetation around Lahaina is low srub+grasses and very dry.
The very strong winds and elevated fire risk was well signalled the day before.
A lot of people say they had no warning of the fire. There was a small scrub fire burning in the hrs before that was said to be under control.
My connection with Maui is through my art. I have done many oil paintings around the Island and have exhibited there for around 20 years. The gallery I exhibit with was on Front Street.

Orion · Unread post by **Orion** » Sun 13/08/2023 22:04

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote: ↑Sun 13/08/2023 00:39 Has Maui had wildfires in the past? Seems like a dry region in Hawaii ?
Obviously not a high rainfall in that part of the Pacific?

I understood from Blancolirio's video that that region of the island is in a rain-shadow area. Different vegetation etc.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Mon 14/08/2023 09:01

Wild fires on Maui would be nearly always started by human activity. Thunderstorms are uncommon. They can get sea breeze convergence thunderstorms in Summer when the trade winds fall light but typically high pressure and fresh to strong trade wind pattern dominates bringing showers mainly to the windward side of the Island and around the mnt peaks.

Richard · Unread post by **Richard** » Fri 18/08/2023 17:53

spwill wrote: ↑Sun 13/08/2023 15:00 The vegetation around Lahaina is low srub+grasses and very dry.

I heard a few days ago from someone talking on a podcast that the island has a problem with an introduced invasive grass species that he believes made the fires much worse.

Richard · Unread post by **Richard** » Sat 19/08/2023 09:07

A local giving her thoughts -

https://rumble.com/v38dzqm-maui-woman-p ... e-081.html

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sat 19/08/2023 09:55

On the day of the fire it appears many people were not aware of how dangerous the situation was. Escape from Lahaina by car became increasingly difficult as the fire cut off escape routes and cars clogged roads. By late afternoon there was only one way out of town and that was along Front Street heading south, footage shows traffic on this road was hardly moving.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sun 20/08/2023 08:08

Internet and phone still largely down for West Maui.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sun 27/08/2023 20:48

Footage here from Lahaina during the fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqkahs3usLQ&t=22s

Orion · Unread post by **Orion** » Mon 28/08/2023 10:36

^ Thank you, spwill.
Appalling disaster. Like the end of everything.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Mon 19/02/2024 21:18

6 months on, sad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfRSamQhNGs&t=1s

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