Lahaina, Maui, Hawaiian Islands, just South of the Equator in the Pacific Ocean

Over 200 years old, and a historic place with beautiful wood architecture known as Old Lahaina Town is gone.

In fact the Lahaina Boat Harbor is gone.

Lahaina is gone.
6 people known dead
200 plus injured
2000 plus tourists evacuated today to Honolulu, on another island.
4000 people in State Shelters
Lahaina population 10,000 so where are the others?
Communications is non-existent: no telephones, no cellphones, no internet, only text messaging is working.

Lahaina is on the Western dry side of the island.
All Hawaiian islands have green lush eastern sides and dry hot western sides. Lahaina is on the dry, hot west side.
But Maui has a huge forest which grows right up to the border of the town.
A huge brush fire yesterday, resulted in a forest fire in this forest which surged towards the sea Tuesday night and burned down the town overnight.
All the Hawaiian Islands have been hit by unseasonal high winds this week because of Hurricane Dora, a category 4 Hurricane which is currently 500 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, but it’s strength has fanned the flames of wildfires all over the Island Chain.
This brush fire and forest fire which quickly swept through Lāhainā Maui overnight, is believed to have been propelled by these winds.

The brush fire and forest fires spread at an unusual pace, whipped into a fury by the category 4 hurricane Dora, 500 miles south of the Hawaiian island chain.
The fire department was quickly overwhelmed , as was Lahaina, the fire surged through the town as its residents slept.
The island woke up to the grim site from helicopters, their beloved town was gone.

[Source](Clint Hansen )

[Source](Clint Hansen )

[Source](Clint Hansen )

[source Hawaii Fire Emergency Service]

[source Hawaii Fire Emergency Service]

[source Hawaii Fire Emergency Service]

Where is Lahaina, Maui?

[Source: Maui Community College]

[Source: Maui Community College]

[Source: Maui Community College]

Where are the fires?

Western Maui, near the isthmus in historic Lahaina.
Once the capitol of the Hawaii Nation under King Kamehameha.

[Source: Hawaii Channel 2 News]

The morning after, only destruction.

[source Hawaii Fire Emergency Service]

[source Hawaii Fire Emergency Service]

Helicopter Tour Wednesday morning

[source: Fox News site, but Hawaii Emergency Fire Services Video]

Hurricane Dora is blamed for the record high speed winds

These winds fanned the flames of the brush fire, which then whipped into fury of a forest fire.
The overwhelmed Fire Department switched to rescue mode, to save as many residents as possible, as stopping the fire became an impossible task.

A sad day in Hawaii, Lahaina, pride of Maui, is gone.

Helicopter Tour Wednesday morning

[source: Fox News site, but Hawaii Emergency Fire Services Video]

Now we have only memories of our beautiful Old Lāhainā and it’s two story wood structures.

source

source

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Notes on Photos

Photos are from Public Government Agencies, so their pictures belong to the public.

Chris Hansen, a Maui Resident sent his pictures to both government and private sources who both published them, so they are also in the public domain, and belong to all of us.