As gusts of up to 30 miles per hour and dry conditions persist for Oahu’s leeward coast, the Honolulu Fire Department has battled multiple wildland fires on the west side for three days, the causes of which are still unknown.
In the first eight days of July, the Honolulu Fire Department already has responded to 17 wildland fires on Oahu, according to HFD Capt. Jaimie Song.
That includes Sunday’s wildfire in Maili that prompted the evacuation of 600 Maili homes, killed 94-year-old Maria Pascual and a pit bull, scorched 55 acres and burned two properties, according to HFD.
Pascual, who lived with a 91-year-old friend who survived the fire, died of smoke inhalation and second-degree burns, according to a GoFundMe campaign (808ne.ws/460onq4) organized by her hanai granddaughter Venise Elisara.
“She had the drive and heart of a lion,” Elisara wrote of the neighborly flower picker on the online campaign, which has raised about $5,800 since Monday.
As crews worked to contain the Maili fire Sunday, HFD units responded to another wildfire in Kunia late Sunday night that scorched about 20 acres, according to HFD.
The leeward fires, particularly Sunday’s Maili fire, prompted Gov. Josh Green to issue the 24th proclamation relating to wildfires, which states, “this fire requires additional government resources to protect public health and safety, property, and natural resources.”
By doing so, Green, who also acts as the commander-in-chief of the Hawaii National Guard, suspended laws that could impede or delay the execution of emergency functions.
The proclamation expires Sept. 4 unless terminated or superseded by a separate proclamation, according to the document, which serves as a supplement to the original emergency proclamation issued Aug. 8, 2023, for the wildfire in Lahaina that killed 102 people and burned more than 2,200 homes and 2,170 acres of land.
In Nanakuli on Monday, about 19 units — including 10 engines, four tankers, two HFD helicopters and one airport rescue firefighting unit — had responded to a wildfire in the vicinity of Lualualei Naval Road and Paakea Road.
The fire prompted the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management to send two HNL alerts — one at 2:26 p.m. and one at 3:29 p.m. — urging the public to be aware and avoid the area. However, both said that no urgent action was required.
As of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, about 11 HFD units were still on-site battling the fire that scorched 125 acres of mountainous land, according to Song.
HFD said Tuesday night that the fire was about 80% contained.
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, other parts of the state were under and advisories for high wind and dry conditions from the National Weather Service, including Lanai, Kahoolawe, Molokai, portions of the Big Island and central and south Maui.
Wind is a big concern for Song, who said that gusts make it harder for fires to be contained. In Nanakuli, Song said that even thought the fire had been contained at 80% for most of Monday evening and throughout Tuesday, gusty conditions prevent crew from fully extinguishing the flames.
“(The concern for wildland fires) really is something that is year-round for Hawaii, but it obviously gets a bit worse in the summer months, especially on the leeward coast when things start to dry out and that is just dry fuel that can light quickly, light fast and spread,” Song said.
Song said that all residents should be proactive in creating “defensible spaces” for their home this wildfire season, that includes keeping lawns to 4 inches or less, cutting overhanging trees or foliage touching the roof line and clearing out the debris in gutters.
“Once a week, pick one of those things and it could really protect your home and it could protect your family,” Song said. “Reach out to kupuna on your street, if they’re unable to do those chores on their house. We’re all in this together — if you don’t have a defensible space in your home and you live next door to me, it’s going to impact me too.”
Song also urges the community sign up for the city Department of Emergency Management’s HNL Alerts at hnl.info/alerts, which are only sent to users who have signed up online and made an account.
DEM’s Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) will be sent to all cellphones in a geographic area without a subscription or opt-in, used only for urgent alerts for life safety information.
Both an HNL Alert and a WEA were sent out Sunday for the Maili fire, Song said.
But, Song said that with the unpredictable weather and topographical conditions, it’s possible that a fire reaches a residential area before either alert is sent, in which case residents — especially kupuna or families with small children who could take longer to evacuate — should make their own assessment of their safety.
“Any time you feel unsafe or uneasy, (evacuating) early is fine,” Song said. “I’m an asthmatic, so if it was really smoky in my neighborhood, I would have to leave earlier than the average person because it would affect my health. Earlier is always better than late.”
Source: The Garden Island