Maui, Hawaii Fires

[GodBlessTheUSA]

‘A gunfight without bullets’: Hawaii firefighters faced down blaze with dry hydrants

Officials said the firefighters described the wind-driven fires bearing down on Lahaina as being like a blowtorch.

www.mysuncoast.com

A few quotes:

"Officials said the firefighters described the wind-driven fires bearing down on Lahaina as being like a blowtorch, with 25 to 30 firefighters staring down the flames as their hydrants went dry.

It’s unclear what made the hydrants run dry. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Monday that will be part of the state attorney general’s investigation."

"at one point, one of the half-dozen (fire) companies was forced to abandon their truck."

"On top of water supply issues, the emergency communications failed as well.

“At some point, even the 911 system was not operable,” Lee said. “I don’t know if fire consumed antennas or what.”

 

[BDR1]

Suppers on

I figured as much.. soon as food is scarfed up, a half a bottle of likker will be sucked down, the the Smart ass comments will start.. am I correct?

 

[GodBlessTheUSA]

I figured as much.. soon as food is scarfed up, a half a bottle of likker will be sucked down, the the Sam art ass comments will start.. am I correct?

I missed whatever you posted that should cause outrage. Why should anyone be taken umbrage with you?

 

[BDR1]

Water supply issues huh, hmmm ain’t that an island? Isn’t an island usually a body of land surrounded by water? Mmmm I’m bumfuzzled!

 

[BDR1]

I missed whatever you posted that should cause outrage. Why should anyone be taken umbrage with you?

I need fo fix my post.. my finger evidently has gotten really Fat

 

[GodBlessTheUSA]

Water supply issues huh, hmmm ain’t that an island? Mmmm I’m bumfuzzled!

Take it with a grain of salt. It is CNN:

"Maui County, not the developer, operates the water system used by firefighters, and while their hoses lost pressure against the 1,000° blaze, county officials blame melted pipes and powerless pumps while winds were too strong to drop water from helicopters, making reservoir levels moot"

To me, it'd still be worth it to try to dump some water, unless they're saying the winds were too strong for the helos to fly.

 

[rOmiLaYu]

I haven’t read thru this whole thread, habvent watched the news in yrs, and I don’t believe that ( from what someone said) a laser beam started the fire ( conspiracy) but what i don’t understand or believe is that a fire on an island SURROUNDED BY WATER , can’t be put out before all these deaths.. why can’t helicopters with buckets and planes drop huge amounts of water on this fire.. I know there is a military base close by with everything they need correct?

Yeah, it's pretty baffling to me, as well. It would appear that this was a perfect storm of very dry conditions, high winds, fire, and seeming total failure of emergency services.

As to the above bolded, I think the easiest answer is "no." There are several bases in Hawaii, but only a few with air fields. Even if those air fields had birds with dump buckets, it would take an especially emboldened pilot to try and fill one of those up in the ocean. Tides, rip currents, and waves would have the helo bouncing all over the place.

I know....it seems so improbable but, after reading about it almost all afternoon, it really does appear that this thing just descended on them so hard and fast it is almost unbelievable.

 

[GodBlessTheUSA]

Also, take with more salt:

"Hawaiian official M. Kaleo Manuel refused to release water in Maui as the fire raged Manuel is deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Here he is explaining that water should be revered, not used:"

https://twitter.com/x/status/1691909193656152465

This was a pre-fire video. He's expostulating on how as a "non-white" he loves water. Or something like that.

 

[rOmiLaYu]

The conspiracy is why is the fire still going?

Is it? I haven't seen that.

ETA:

Apparently it is still burning.
Being reported as 90% contained......THIRTEEN days later?

8/20 Maui County Wildfire Disaster Update

Olinda fire (initially reported 8/8): now 85% contained. Estimated 1,081 acres. The Maui Fire Department is assisting State Division of Forestry and Wildfire with this joint fire-fighting effort.

www.mauicounty.gov

 

[rOmiLaYu]

To me, it'd still be worth it to try to dump some water, unless they're saying the winds were too strong for the helos to fly.

What I am reading says that is the case.

Summary of Peak Wind Gusts - August 7-9, 2023

If you look at the data here ^ all of the speeds captured in Maui are at or well above 40 knots which is the no-go number for helos.