Tag: Hawaii

Regulators, critics stall Hawaii utility’s wildfire safety plan

The historic 2023 Lahaina wildfire that killed over 100 people was caused by high winds snapping a power pole. Two years later, the island’s utility is struggling to implement prevention measures to stop the next wildfire from starting.

Hawaiian Electric’s proposed wildfire safety plan has stalled in Public Utilities Commission meetings, with members saying they need more time to review both the plan and $350 million the utility wants to charge customers over the next three years to pay for it.

The utility, in a June press release, said the plan would focus on grid hardening, asset inspections, and vegetation management in areas with medium to high risk of ignition. The plan would be funded by residential bill increases of up to $5 a month on Maui, and less on other islands, the utility claimed. It also said the funds would go toward installing more weather stations and hazard-detection cameras while continuing engagement with local communities.

Hawaii’s state agency Division of Consumer Advocacy, while acknowledging the “meaningful progress” of the plan, concluded that it is largely unsatisfied with it, saying it would result in increases to residents’ power bills to recover the costs. It also labeled the entirety of the utility’s plan as “below expectations” and “needs improvement” because the utility’s wildfire plan falls short of industry standards, doesn’t factor in socially vulnerable populations, and is overly aggressive in costly capital improvements without solid foundations in wildfire modeling.

“HECO is trying to catch up to something they should have addressed years ago, and they want to bill rate payers for the fact that they’ve been delaying dealing with the issue,” Life of the Land clean energy advocate Henry Curtis told Hawaii News Now. “They have overhead lines in high wildfire risk areas and their solution would be, well, we can turn them off in high wind conditions, low humidity conditions. But that means that communities that are in rural areas are more likely to be impacted negatively by this.”

The utility, according to submitted testimony, has absorbed over $100 million in costs since its lines started the deadly wildfire by ramping up prevention tactics including clearing high grasses and replacing other infrastructure. But the Consumer Advocate said the utility still needs to better integrate fire behavior modeling and vegetation management into its risk assessments.

Click here to read Consumer Advocates’ assessment of the plan.

Hawaii utilities

Debris removal from Maui wildfire passes halfway mark as officials expand disaster resources

Most of the debris from the deadly 2023 wildfire in Lahaina, Maui, now resides in a permanent landfill, County of Maui officials announced on Saturday.

Officials have successfully transferred 64% of the total 400,000 tons of wildfire debris from a temporary debris storage site in Olowalu to a permanent disposal site at the Central Maui Landfill, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The site was chosen due to its far distance from any residential areas, schools, and drinking water sources.

The transfer operation started on June 16 and was estimated to take five months to complete.

“Our debris mission is going very smoothly, we appreciate all your support over the last two months,” Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff recently said at a community meeting. “If you know someone hauling the debris, please thank them, give them a big mahalo because they’re doing amazing work for us and the community.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The failure of fire, law enforcement, and other agencies at the 2023 Maui fires

The milestone was announced as County of Maui officials continue to encourage all survivors of the wildfire to connect with disaster case managers through state and/or local services.

Both the State of Hawaiʻi Disaster Case Management Program and the Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Case Management Program recently expanded services for residents affected by the fire and reportedly work closely with each other to avoid service duplication, according to County of Maui Office of Recovery Administrator John Smith.

“DCMs help survivors develop individualized recovery plans and connect them with housing assistance, mental health services, transportation support, financial aid and more,” Smith said. “Whether through the state or a community-based program, DCMs serve as a consistent guide and advocate for wildfire survivors throughout their long-term recovery journey.”

Click here for full details of both disaster case management services.

Suicides, overdoses spike in wake of Maui’s Lahaina wildfire in 2023

The risk of suicides and overdoses in the wake of disastrous wildfires is immediate, according to new research published by the University of Hawai’i.

The Maui wildfire of August 2023 in the community of Lahaina killed over 100 people and destroyed over 2,200 structures. The deaths, however, continued long after the flames died out.

Through using vital health statistics and census data from 2014 through 2023, researchers found that in the same month that the wildfire burned, suicide and overdose rates increased by 97% in Maui. If deaths were limited to just suicides, the death rate was 182% higher in Maui than other islands in the state. The combined suicide and overdose death rate for non-Maui counties in Hawai’i also saw a significant increase of 46%.

“Nationally and globally, we have seen an increase in devastating wildfires, and these fires can have a tremendous impact on the health and well-being of communities,” said Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health and a co-author of the study. “Public health must be adequately prepared to respond to serious mental health consequences of wildfires and other climate-related disasters that are increasing in both frequency and severity.”

Researchers said the study’s findings show that early behavioral health intervention must be prioritized during disaster responses. They also recommended that suicide and overdose prevention be included in wildfire response and recovery plans.

The most recent CDC data was used in the study, but researchers plan on using 2024 data once it’s available to see whether there was a sustained increase in suicides and/or overdoses after more time has elapsed since the wildfires.

“Prior research has found similar effects in the months after wildfires and other disasters. But the immediacy of the effects on suicide rates that we observed in Maui are unique and troubling,” said co-author Jonathan Purtle, associate professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health.

Click here to read the full research study.

Hawaii

Remote fire sensors deployed on Hawaiian islands

Fire detection sensors are being set up around Maui and other Hawaiian islands to allow local resources to respond faster when wildfires break out, said Governor Josh Green today.

CNN reports that Maui Mayor Richard Bissen added, “The introduction of an early detection system will give our first responders a critical advantage in protecting our community. With this new technology, detecting fires at the very early phases will save lives.”

According to MauiNow, the remote sensors are en route to Kīhei and Lahaina, and they will use a combination of thermal imaging, gas detection, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms; the wildfire sensors detect concentrations or spikes in particulates or carbon monoxide to identify wildfire ignition — in real time. The sensors transmit data by email or text notifications to pre-set contacts, and the remote units are small enough for installation on utility poles or traffic lights. They can also work in all weather conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“What’s important is we get to the scene as fast as we can, so that we can catch fire in incipient phases,” said Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura. “Today we share one more tool that’s going to help expedite our responses to our communities.”

About 80 fire sensors are being set up around the islands; the first 20 on Maui are planned for deployment by the first week of April.

These sensors detect heat and also can track anomalies such as airborne smoke particles and gases produced by fires — and can distinguish those from other substances common in the air around Hawai’i — including volcanic ash and ocean salt.

~ Thanks and a tip of the hardhat to Rick for this.

detection Hawaii Maui remote sensors

911 calls: the stranded and missing in Maui’s wildfires

“The flames came back … they’re in the trees and the grass.”

“We slept on the street.”

“We’re dying out here.”

The Associated Press has compiled numerous 911 calls from the barrage that Maui operators received the day after wildfires swept through Lahaina. The operator answers were the same each time; emergency responders weren’t able to help find missing people because they were still trying to get people to safety, still working hotspots and responding to fires.

The 911 recordings from the morning and early afternoon of August 9, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, were the third batch of calls released by the Maui Police Department in response to a public records request. The recordings demonstrate that dispatchers and first responders were limited by diminished staffing and communications failures.

Some callers ask where their family members are, some report disastrous fire damage, and others plead with dispatch to tell them where to go to be safe. People were trapped in their homes or hotel rooms, many with no food or water. With each desperate call, operators had relatively the same response: they had no answers.

Read the full story here.

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9/11 Hawaii Maui

Maui agencies stall investigators

The Honolulu Civil Beat has reported that three county agencies on the island of Maui have been subpoenaed by the state attorney general’s office after failing to provide information needed for the state investigation into the August wildfires.

The hurricane-driven Maui firestorm was the worst fire disaster in the U.S. in over a century; the New York Times reported on August 13 that fatalities resulting from the Maui fires had surpassed that of the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California; it was the deadliest wildfire since the 1918 Cloquet inferno in Minnesota killed hundreds of people. Both locals and experts were pleading with tourists from the U.S. mainland and elsewhere to cancel vacation plans and spare locals and emergency responders the drain on scarce resources. Hotels and other lodging options on Maui were scrambling to shelter evacuees and the suddenly homeless.

A local CBS affiliate reported that dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed on the western part of the island of Maui, the second largest and third most populated island in the state. HawaiiNewsNow reported that witnesses described apocalyptic scenes; residents said an overwhelmed fire force, fighting flames all day in powerful winds, could do little as flames ripped through and leveled most of the historic district of Lahaina.

Not quite four months later, the state investigation is focused on fire locations and a timeline of events, and it’s still lacking critical facts, according to the Fire Safety Research Institute, which was hired by the state’s attorney general. “Until that happens, this critical process cannot move forward,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez. She said some Maui agencies have cooperated with investigators, but that subpoenas were issued to the Maui Emergency Management Agency, the Maui Department of Public Works and the Maui Department of Water Supply. The Honolulu Civil Beat said it contacted all three agencies and got no response from any of them.

Mahina Martin with Mayor Richard Bissen’s office said the county has “cooperated fully” with the investigation but that the county has not shared everything investigators have requested. She explained that some items were submitted to investigators, about 20 more are pending, and another dozen require federal Department of Homeland Security clearance before they can be produced. She said investigators have finished more than 90 interviews of county personnel.

Civil Beat asked the attorney general’s office what information it is seeking through the subpoenas but they declined. In the aftermath of the historic fires, Civil Beat filed records requests with the Maui Emergency Management Agency — including text messages, emergency operations center activity logs, requests for assistance to the state and its continuity plan, and an outline of who is in charge if top leadership is absent, as was the case on August 8 when the fires started. MEMA has not provided any of these records.

A report by The Hill said the fires damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 structures and burned over 2,000 acres, according to FEMA records. The rebuilding could cost upward of $5 billion.

Other Maui agencies, meanwhile, have handed over requested information to investigators and the AG’s office. “We appreciate the cooperation of the Maui fire and police departments, and while we continue to work through some issues, their leaders and line responders have been transparent and cooperative,” Lopez said.

Hawaii Lahaina Maui

Long-term effects of Maui’s wildfires still unknown

The fires may have been controlled in Maui, but the fires that burned Lahaina will continue to affect the island in numerous ways.

Experts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa explained the multiple long-term health and environmental risks during a recent webinar sponsored by the Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute. The webinar was focused specifically on addressing community concerns over remaining toxic chemicals and how people can protect themselves from exposure. There is also little to no precedent for the wildfire seen in Lahaina.

“While there have been large urban fires in other locations, such as Paradise, California, few have been related to hurricanes,” said Catherine Pirkle, an associate professor and global health researcher trained in epidemiology and health services.

Another unusual aspect of the Maui wildfires is their proximity to nearshore tropical reefs. Researchers know very little about the health effects of exposure to compex chemical mixtures from wildfires like those in Maui. The contaminants released by the fire may enter the marine environment and could pose risks for swimmers and people who eat contaminated fish.

While the specific consequences of contamination aren’t known, researchers said the most at-risk populations for developing long-term health issues related to the fire are pregnant women and children, older or low-income people, those with pre-existing health conditions, and people at risk of work-related exposure.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health and the EPA have already determined that particulate matter from the wildfires caused only low levels of air pollution. Additionally, volatile organic compounds were detected in only a small number of drinking water samples. Researchers offered health guidance to anyone planning to re-enter burned areas, saying they should wear an N95 mask that fits well, along with long sleeves and pants, socks, shoes, and gloves.

“Minimize disturbing the ash that has settled on the ground so that it does not enter the air or nearby waters,” the researchers said. “To reduce the take-home pathway of exposure, people who enter the impacted area should change their clothing before returning to their family members who are advised against entering the impacted area.”

The guidance follows the announcement by Maui Mayor Richard Bissen that he would be reopening all of West Maui — except the burned-out sections of Lahaina — to tourism on November 1.

Watch the University of Hawaiʻi’s full webinar here:

Hawaii Maui

Deadline extended for Hawai’i disaster assistance

KA ‘OIHANA PILI KAUA
Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency

The FEMA deadline for private nonprofit groups and government agencies to apply for disaster assistance has been extended to October 25.

“The extension gives applicants two more weeks to complete their requests,” said James Barros, administrator of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA). “Many nonprofits have been deeply involved in the disaster response, but they’ve been busy helping the people of Maui to apply for these federal funds; the extension gives them a bit more time to seek these vital resources.”

The disaster declaration covering the August wildfires authorizes funding to reimburse and pay for protective measures and hazard mitigation, including fire mitigation and environmental and historic preservation projects. Private nonprofit organizations — including houses of worship and community groups — may be eligible for financial reimbursement for emergency protective measures, debris removal, or restoration of facilities.

Eligible organizations include those that have provided services during the wildfire response, or those that want to participate in recovery/mitigation efforts, including environmental and historic preservation.

“HI-EMA is the state agency that serves as the connection between FEMA and applicants for Public Assistance funds,” said Barros, “and our personnel can answer questions about the types of expenses and projects that may be eligible.”

To learn more about available grants, check the FEMA assistance page and the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency site. For details, contact Brian Fisher with HI-EMA’s Resilience team at brian.j.fisher@hawaii.gov.

UPDATE:
The Lahaina Banyan seems to have survived.
This is a DHS photo from Wikipedia.

Lahaina Banyan tree, DHS photo from wikipedia.

The 2-acre Banyan tree in October 2014:
(by Nvvchar – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

FEMA Hawaii Maui

Maui: worst fire disaster in the U.S. in over a century

The New York Times reported today that fatalities resulting from the Maui fires have surpassed that of the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, and now mark the deadliest wildfire since the 1918 Cloquet inferno in Minnesota killed hundreds of people.

The island’s fatality count has already hit 93, according to an AP report earlier today, and both locals and experts are pleading with tourists from the U.S. mainland and elsewhere to cancel vacation plans and spare locals and emergency responders the drain on scarce resources. Hotels and other lodging options on Maui are scrambling to shelter evahttps://youtu.be/OlV6sObu_Y0cuees and the suddenly homeless; well over 45,000 residents and visitors have departed Kahului Airport in West Maui since Wednesday.

Mayor Richard Bissen recorded a public message, and the Maui County website is loaded with additional resources. A Family Assistance Center is open at Kahului Community Center at 275 Uhu Street.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency can help in locating unaccounted-for family members. People trying to locate loved ones also can call the American Red Cross at 800-733-2767.

“The collective resources and attention of the federal, state, and county government, the West Maui community, and the travel industry must be focused on the recovery of residents who were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses,” announced the Hawaii Tourism Authority today. Visitors are encouraged to change plans and travel to Hawaii’s other islands.

Gov. Josh Green said 500 hotels rooms will be set aside for evacuated locals, and the state is working with AirBNB to make more rentals available for locals. Another 500 hotel rooms will be reserved for FEMA employees; no word on whether interagency IMTs from the U.S. will be able to camp in tents as usual.

Recovery crews with cadaver dogs have covered just under 5 percent of the fires’ search area thus far, according to Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. “We’ve got an area that we have to contain that is at least 5 square miles, and it is full of our loved ones,” he said. He asked residents with missing loved ones to provide DNA samples at a county resource center.

Hawaii News Now reported that Gov. Green said this will certainly be the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever faced. “I hurt to imagine the fear that went through people when a fire — really a hurricane and a fire — came through all at once,” he said. Their news conference is available online: youtube.com/watch?v=zm_xx5peLJQ

Hawaii Maui

Maui burns

Maui County officials closed all roads to public use in the town of Lahaina as wildfires on the Hawaiian island burned out of control, driven by high winds that the Associated Press said gusted over 60 mph. Hurricane Dora has passed to the south of the islands at a distance of nearly 500 miles, but extreme conditions and violent winds across the islands resulted in numerous power outages late Tuesday; firefighters struggled to reach areas cut off by downed trees and powerlines.

The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora’s winds knocked out power and grounded firefighting helicopters.

West Maui is closed off to all traffic, according to a CNN report from Maui County. Only emergency personnel are allowed access to that part of the island.

The BBC reported that some residents were forced to jump into the ocean ahead of racing flames; the Coast Guard said at least a dozen people were rescued from the water. Local media reported “apocalyptic scenes” in the historic town of Lahaina, parts of which were destroyed or severely damaged. The Lahaina fire is one of at least seven now burning in the state.

A local CBS affiliate reported that dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed on the western part of the island of Maui, the second largest and third most populated island in the state. HawaiiNewsNow reported that witnesses described apocalyptic scenes Tuesday. Residents say an overwhelmed fire force, fighting flames all day in powerful winds, could do little as flames ripped through Lahaina.

Videos from the island show the historic town’s main street and local businesses burning. “Buildings on both sides were engulfed,” local business owner Alan Dickar told CBS.

“Hawaii National Guardsmen have been activated and are currently on Maui assisting Maui Police Department at traffic control points,” said Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, Hawaii’s adjutant general. The overnight deployment was hastened by the dynamic fire conditions, and additional National Guard personnel are expected to arrive in Maui and Hawaii counties later Wednesday, Hara said.

Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke, who is acting while Gov. Josh Green is traveling out of state, issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday that activated the Guard. Updated road closures and other emergency notices are posted on the County of Maui facebook page.

Hawaii hurricane Maui