Hurricane Dora at Category 4 Fuels Wildfires in Maui, Locals Swim Away from Blazing Town

Maui's wildfires are being fanned and fed by Category 4 hurricane Dora, which is bringing wind gusts of 80 mph. The locals prefer to dive into the harbor and swim away from the blazing town.

Category 4 Hurricane Dora and Wildfires

Even though it passes hundreds of miles heading south in the open Pacific Ocean, major hurricane Dora will keep influencing Hawaii into Wednesday night, bringing heavy surf and strong gusts to the islands.

Strong winds were a factor in the Big Island and Maui wildfires' quick expansion and spread, which destroyed buildings, prompted evacuations, and compelled some individuals to jump into the water to escape the flames.

As of early Wednesday morning local time, Dora, a dangerous Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS), had reached maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph, plus gusts to 160 mph.

Dora is now the third-strongest typhoon in the Pacific Ocean, after Typhoons Mawar and Khanun, and the strongest hurricane this season in the central Pacific basin, according to AccuWeather.

On Wednesday morning, August 9, 2023, at 5 AM, NOAA issued a hurricane Dora public advisory as Dora reached Category 4 status.

Jump and Swim for Safety

There is no estimate outlining the number of evacuated residents or the number of properties affected by the flames, but Martin reported that four shelters are operational, with the largest accommodating more than 1,000 people.

According to accounts from officials, on August 8, 2023, while a wildfire tore through shops in Lahaina, Hawaii, some residents leaped into the harbor to get away from the flames, while others were compelled to evacuate because of the smoke. Roads are closed heading to Lahaina during the time because of downed trees and wildfire damage.

Damages Beyond Maui

The Big Island's rural village of Kohala Ranch, home to about 500 people, received approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a disaster designation to provide aid with a fire that was threatening roughly 200 homes there.

The fire was out of control and had consumed over 600 acres when the request was made. Officials said that two further uncontrolled fires were roaring on the Big Island and Maui on Wednesday while a large portion of Hawaii was still under a red flag warning.

On Maui, firefighters were putting out numerous fires that were centered in two places: the well-known tourist hotspot of West Maui and an inland, mountainous location. Residents in West Maui were instructed to call the police department because there was no 911 coverage available there.

The wind gusts prevented helicopters from spraying water on the raging fires from the air or measuring more precise fire sizes, and firefighters were working inland fires on roads that were blocked by falling trees and power lines, according to CBS News.