Maui County Alerts
MEMA ALERT: Kahikinui Brushfire Update 7 PM Press Release
6/17 KAHIKINUI FIRE UPDATE AS OF 7 P.M.
FIRE UPDATE
The Kahikinui brush fire mauka of the highway near Mile Marker 24 and 25 reached 95% containment at 330 acres as of 7 p.m. today, 6/17, according to County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety (MFD). Crews today extinguished hotspots and reinforced control lines on the south, east and mauka flanks of the fire. No injuries or structural damages have been reported. Moving forward, MFD will issue public communication as necessary on the Kahikinui fire; this is the final update directly from the County’s Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
ROAD REOPENS
Maui Police Department reopened Pi’ilani Highway (Highway 31) tonight at 7 p.m., and it will REMAIN open, barring emergencies. Motorists should be advised that MFD resources will be stationed in the area overnight to monitor fire conditions. In general, area residents and other drivers should travel with caution due to firefighting apparatus deployed for response to the blaze.
RESOURCES
Personnel will monitor and patrol the fire overnight. Today, two MFD callback crews with wildland apparatuses, engines, tankers and other apparatuses, along with Air One and Air Two, worked to accomplish full containment. County Department of Public Works issued three tankers. And a dozen State Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife firefighters continued to address hotspots and bolster the perimeter.
EVACUATION ORDERS LIFTED
Evacuation orders were LIFTED as of 7 p.m. 6/16, due to increased fire containment, according to MEMA. Notifications were sent via Genasys Protect evacuation app and MEMA Alerts.
BACKGROUND
MFD reported the Kahikinui brush fire at 9:54 a.m. 6/15. MEMA’s Emergency Operations Center was partially activated by midday. Evacuation orders were issued 6/15 by MEMA for Kahikinui homes near Mile Marker 24 and 25 due to the fast-moving brush fire, fueled by strong winds. There are approximately 105 Kahikinui homestead lots in the area. MPD and MFD conducted door-to-door evacuations. Also, evacuation orders were sent around 11 a.m. 6/15 through the new Genasys Protect app and MEMA alerts and later with an island-wide Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). Evacuation orders were lifted at 7 p.m. 6/16. Pi’ilani Highway reopened after temporary closures between Mile Marker 20 to 41 for firefighting efforts. Mayor Richard Bissen signed an Emergency Proclamation at 5:45 p.m. 6/15 in response to the ongoing fire, which authorizes the County to access federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for emergency response efforts to ensure continued and effective countywide response.
INFO
Sign up for Genasys Protect and MEMA Alerts at www.mauicounty.gov/MEMA and follow County of Maui and MEMA on Facebook and Instagram.
# # #
MFD photos from today, 6/17, via Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/06w48uly2p289p295ytxi/ACoUGq-jyPf5RI2aMgmsVVg?rlkey=6oqml5d6q8nd0epxgr289s93k&st=7zd8cmn4&dl=0
FIRE UPDATE
The Kahikinui brush fire mauka of the highway near Mile Marker 24 and 25 reached 95% containment at 330 acres as of 7 p.m. today, 6/17, according to County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety (MFD). Crews today extinguished hotspots and reinforced control lines on the south, east and mauka flanks of the fire. No injuries or structural damages have been reported. Moving forward, MFD will issue public communication as necessary on the Kahikinui fire; this is the final update directly from the County’s Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
ROAD REOPENS
Maui Police Department reopened Pi’ilani Highway (Highway 31) tonight at 7 p.m., and it will REMAIN open, barring emergencies. Motorists should be advised that MFD resources will be stationed in the area overnight to monitor fire conditions. In general, area residents and other drivers should travel with caution due to firefighting apparatus deployed for response to the blaze.
RESOURCES
Personnel will monitor and patrol the fire overnight. Today, two MFD callback crews with wildland apparatuses, engines, tankers and other apparatuses, along with Air One and Air Two, worked to accomplish full containment. County Department of Public Works issued three tankers. And a dozen State Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife firefighters continued to address hotspots and bolster the perimeter.
EVACUATION ORDERS LIFTED
Evacuation orders were LIFTED as of 7 p.m. 6/16, due to increased fire containment, according to MEMA. Notifications were sent via Genasys Protect evacuation app and MEMA Alerts.
BACKGROUND
MFD reported the Kahikinui brush fire at 9:54 a.m. 6/15. MEMA’s Emergency Operations Center was partially activated by midday. Evacuation orders were issued 6/15 by MEMA for Kahikinui homes near Mile Marker 24 and 25 due to the fast-moving brush fire, fueled by strong winds. There are approximately 105 Kahikinui homestead lots in the area. MPD and MFD conducted door-to-door evacuations. Also, evacuation orders were sent around 11 a.m. 6/15 through the new Genasys Protect app and MEMA alerts and later with an island-wide Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). Evacuation orders were lifted at 7 p.m. 6/16. Pi’ilani Highway reopened after temporary closures between Mile Marker 20 to 41 for firefighting efforts. Mayor Richard Bissen signed an Emergency Proclamation at 5:45 p.m. 6/15 in response to the ongoing fire, which authorizes the County to access federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for emergency response efforts to ensure continued and effective countywide response.
INFO
Sign up for Genasys Protect and MEMA Alerts at www.mauicounty.gov/MEMA and follow County of Maui and MEMA on Facebook and Instagram.
# # #
MFD photos from today, 6/17, via Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/06w48uly2p289p295ytxi/ACoUGq-jyPf5RI2aMgmsVVg?rlkey=6oqml5d6q8nd0epxgr289s93k&st=7zd8cmn4&dl=0