Hurricane-Fueled Wildfires Burn Across Maui and the Big Island in Hawaii

Posted: August 9, 2023 3:00 pm

A number of weather-related headlines have been dominating the news lately as the nation enters the dog days of summer. Here are a few weather headlines to note, including the latest on the wildfires burning in Hawaii.

People Escape Wildfire in Maui by Jumping Into the Ocean

It was a chaotic scene on the Hawaiian island of Maui when people were forced to jump into the ocean to escape the flames of an approaching wildfire. The fire was started by the associated weather elements from Hurricane Dora as it roared through the Pacific Ocean. State officials have issued evacuations for parts of Maui and the Big Island as the fire continues to burn.

Maui County authorities said that 12 people were rescued in the waters off Lahaina after they were forced to jump into the ocean to escape the smoke and fire. The stranded individuals were rescued by the Coast Guard and taken to a safe area.

The high winds and challenging terrain of the island of Maui are combining to make it difficult for crews to get the inferno under control. Maui Fire officials are also finding it challenging to predict where the erratic fire will travel. The flames have already destroyed some of the businesses located on heavily trafficked Front Street in Lahaina.

Local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. Travel to and from Maui has also been severely impacted as a result of the fires.

In addition to this fire burning in Lahaina, the Upcountry Fire in another area of the island has burned about 1,000 acres thus far. On the Big Island, two brushfires prompted the mandatory evacuations of some parts of the North Kohala District and the South Kohala District.

Latest on Hurricane Dora

It has been a hard week for the chain of islands. While the area did not take a direct strike from Hurricane Dora, the storm’s impacts were felt in the form of high winds. Hurricane Dora is a major Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph. As of early Wednesday, the hurricane was located about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu.

Although there are no hurricane watches or warnings in effect for any part of Hawaii due to the distance between the islands and the storms, the winds associated with the feature have hit up to 80 mph across the Big Island.

The good news is that Dora’s eye is forecast to remain well to the south of the islands. However, impacts will come in the form of high winds and rough surf conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a series of high wind warnings and wind advisories through Wednesday. While the Big Island has seen the worst of the winds, a gust of 49 mph was also recorded at Honolulu International Airport on Tuesday.

The winds are expected to gradually lessen through Wednesday night. But the rough surf conditions and strong rip currents will continue to be an issue after this time, particularly along the south-facing beaches.

What is Next for Dora? The storm is predicted to keep its major hurricane status of ate least a Category 3 storm through Thursday. The storm will then begin to lose some of its power into the weekend, gradually weakening into a tropical storm.

Dora has been a long-lived storm, first developing on July 31 in the Eastern Pacific. The current models indicate that the storm will survive as it moves into the Western Pacific by early next week. This part of the basin has been especially active this season, currently dealing with the impacts of Cyclone Khanun that is now approaching the Korean Peninsula.

Beyoncé’s Show in Washington, D.C. Area Disrupted by Sunday Storms

Monday’s storms rumbling through the nation’s capital was a continuation of Sunday’s severe weather. The storms to close out the weekend were so potent that Beyoncé was forced to delay her outdoor performance at FedExField for nearly two hours due to frequent lightning strikes in the area and heavy rain.

The “Renaissance” tour paid the DC Metro $100,000 to extend the operating hours after the show to ensure that all attendees were able to get home safely. Stadium officials were forced to issue a shelter-in-place notice because of the inclement conditions. Several concert goers were treated for heat-related illnesses as the temperature continued to remain high.

Heat Claims More Lives in Houston Area

The searing heat across the southern Plains continues to put lives at risk. Houston police are investigating the tragic death of a young infant after he was left inside a vehicle on a scorcher of a day. The three-month-old was left in the car unattended on Tuesday afternoon, a day in which the temperatures soared past the century mark in Houston.

Should it be confirmed that the child died of a heat-related illness, it will be the 16th child reported to lose their life this year in the U.S. in a hot vehicle.

Also in the Houston area, an elderly couple died in Baytown after the air conditioning unit in their mobile home failed. Ramona and Monway Ison reportedly died while waiting for the unit to be serviced.

While the tragedy occurred earlier in the summer, family members are just now speaking out in the hopes to spread awareness about the importance of checking in on the elderly during times of extreme heat.

Woman Suffered Shark Bite Near Queens, New York

The rash of shark bites continues along the coastal areas of New York City. A woman was taken to a hospital on Monday after a shark bite near a beach in Queens. The incident happened shortly before 6 pm local time at the popular Rockaway Beach.

New York City Fire Department officials confirmed that the woman suffered a severe leg injury. The woman was treated at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and is expected to survive and recover.

There have been five reported shark attacks this summer in nearby Long Island. Officials have increased shark patrol measures over the last few months in response to the increase in activity.

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