Hawaii fires: tourists relocated, historic Maui town “burnt to the ground”

Catastrophic wildfires in parts of the Hawaiian Islands left travellers in limbo this week as visitors in Maui and Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, scrambled to flee the popular vacation destinations.

Harrowing conditions were previously reported in West Maui in the town of Lahaina and within the Mauna Kea Resort area on Hawaii Island.

In an update posted by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) on Wednesday (Aug. 9), the fires, which intensified after being fanned by a passing Category 4 storm, Hurricane Dora, led thousands of residents and visitors to evacuate. The blaze also led to multiple closures of major roadways.

In a follow-up on Thursday (Aug. 10), the HTA said more than 14,000 people were moved off the island of Maui to return home or continue on with their vacation elsewhere in Hawaii.

The tourism authority estimates that an additional 14,500 people will need to be moved. 

According to USA Today, tourists in Lahaina this week had no choice but to sleep in their cars, wherever they could park, with only the clothes they were wearing, because they couldn’t return to their hotels.

Other tourists who landed on Maui on Wednesday didn’t even leave the airport and were rerouted to other unaffected islands, like Kauai, reports say. 

Non-essential travel discouraged

Hawaii is in a state of emergency until the end of the month, according to Acting Hawaii Gov. Slyvia Luke.

“Visitors who are on non-essential travel are being asked to leave Maui, and non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged at this time,” the Hawaii Tourism Authority said Thursday.

Travel to Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and other parts of Hawaii Island remain unaffected.

Meanwhile, an emergency assistance centre has been established by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority at the Hawai‘i Convention Centre, in partnership with the American Red Cross, to support visitors and residents being evacuated from Maui to Oʻahu due to the wildfires.

Up to 2,000 evacuees can be provided temporary accommodations at the convention centre until they are able to board flights to return home or secure their own hotel lodging, the HTA said.

“If necessary, evacuees are allowed to spend the night if they cannot secure lodging. Water and food is being provided, as well as a shower, toiletries and clothes, if needed,” the HTA noted.

“It’s all gone”

Hawaii Governor Josh Green said Thursday that some 1,000 people are still unaccounted for, saying the Aloha State is headed for its deadliest disaster in history.

CNN reported on Friday (Aug. 11) that at least 55 people have died in the fires, though that number is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue across the island.

Maui’s Mayor Richard Bissen said the historic town of Lahaina has been totally wiped out by the blaze.

“It’s all gone. None of it’s there. It’s all burnt to the ground,” he was quoted as saying yesterday. 

Evacuation orders lifted

Hawaii County officials lifted evacuation orders yesterday after two brush fires in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala were neutralized and the Lālāmilo fire in Waimea had been contained, according to the tourism authority.

The HTA says roadways are open and access is available to all communities, which are navigating power outages, heavy smoke and structural damage. Mauna Kea Resort is also now open and operating, the HTA says. 

NBC News reported Friday morning (Aug. 11) that fires were still burning in Maui and the Big Island, but that the Lahaina fire is now 80 per cent contained. 

Cancelled flights

The situation led to cancelled flights between Maui and Vancouver this week and, in some cases, travellers were left with very little direction.

“There was no communication, so we didn’t know if we should go to the airport. We heard there were over 2,000 people there,” Tracy Robinson, a Port Moody, B.C. resident, told Global News on Wednesday.

As reported by CBC News, two WestJet flights from YVR International Airport to Kahului, were cancelled Wednesday, and were being rescheduled for Friday. 

In response to the wildfires, a travel advisory has been posted on WestJet’s website and flights and vacation packages and flexible change/cancel guidelines have been announced for guests travelling to Kahului, Maui, between Aug. 9 and 11, 2023.

Air Canada told CBC News Wednesday that a Tuesday flight from Maui to Vancouver was cancelled because the wildfires were impeding access to the airport.

In response, Canada's biggest carrier has implemented a flexible booking policy that makes it possible for customers to change a future itinerary to Maui.

It applies to bookings made no later than Aug. 9, 2023 for travel between Aug. 9-13, 2023, and if an itinerary includes a flight to, from or via Maui, Hawaii (OGG).

Those who are scheduled to travel during the affected period can retrieve their booking to change their flight, free of charge, to another date between now and Sept. 15, 2023 (subject to availability in the cabin originally purchased)

Otherwise, any fare difference will apply, Air Canada says.

Other channels for the latest updates include Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, Maui County Emergency Management Agency and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense. 

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