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windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1907
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jse
Joined: 17 Apr 1995 Posts: 1460 Location: Maui
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Mike,
One additional factor you did not mention is the construction of the older buildings on and around Front Street. This was the heartbeat of Lahaina, buildings as old as the Banyan tree planted 150 years ago. Wood framed, wood construction, closely situated amongs their neighbors, probably not unlike the buildings in San Francisco that burned down after the earthquake in 1906. Of course the fire was much bigger than Front Street, but once it was overcome, it went very fast. So fast people could not outrun it and jumped into the harbor to escape.
Steve
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windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1907
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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jse wrote: | Mike,
One additional factor you did not mention is the construction of the older buildings on and around Front Street. This was the heartbeat of Lahaina, buildings as old as the Banyan tree planted 150 years ago. Wood framed, wood construction, closely situated amongs their neighbors, probably not unlike the buildings in San Francisco that burned down after the earthquake in 1906. Of course the fire was much bigger than Front Street, but once it was overcome, it went very fast. So fast people could not outrun it and jumped into the harbor to escape.
Steve |
Hi Steve,
I spent a lot of time on Front Street back in the day when the stores sold hardware, veggies and seafood from those old wood framed shops. In more recent years many of them sold T- shirts and tourists trinkets but their soul was still there.
At the time I was "adopted" by a local Hawaiian family and lived on the Ke’anae Peninsula, a taro producing Hawaiian village. They made their living gill netting from Ho'okipa to Thousand Peaks and my job was diving to clear the gill nets from coral. Hanging out with locals at Lahaina at night was my favorite part of the job. So I feel like part of my life burned with Lahaina.
Below is a photo of me with my "family".
Mike Godsey
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jse
Joined: 17 Apr 1995 Posts: 1460 Location: Maui
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mike,
I live on the north shore, far from the fires. We seldom go to the west side - that is how life on Maui is, not unlike living anywhere else - you have your travel patterns for daily life and limit ut to that. For me it’s Kahului, Haiku for business, Kanaha to sail, Kula to visit my mother. A trip to Lahaina is kinda like a road trip for me. The Saturday before the fire it just so happened that we had to go to Olowalu to deliver some coconuts and avocados to a customer. We took the opportunity to try out Fleetwood’s in Lahaina for lunch, and per recommendation of our server stopped at a kiosk called “Vigilatte” for coffee for the “long” drive home. It was such a pleasant escape for us we vowed to return. Of course time will tell if that ever happens, but I think Lahaina will rise from the ashes just like San Francisco did, just like the Oakland hills did. My hope is that they learn from this and require mitigation for fires - underground utilities, solar panels to allow grid shutoff during high wind events, wide roads, etc…
Steve
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windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1907
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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I agree totally about the rebuild. But I hope they keep the old wooden character but with hardiplank and metal roofs. Plus huge solar operated salt water pumps along the waterfront and many fire hydrants.
And keep Front street populated with local shops not tourist traps.
Mike
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MalibuGuru
Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9306
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:09 am Post subject: |
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My advice to the county officials. I went through the Woolsey fire. I almost died. I also have a home in Kuau/Paia.
1. Scrape all the burned lots asap. Don't allow the toxins from lead paint etc to go to the sea.
2. Cut red tape for rebuilding homes and businesses. Cut fees to zero.
3. Incentivize short term rentals to open to residents.
4. Bring the victims peace of mind by bringing in temporary building officials to expedite the rebuilding.
5. Review unnecessary building codes which cost people emotionally and financially.
Learn from Malibu officials who made many mistakes. 🤗
Aloha!!
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windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1907
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Good advice MalibuGuru!
After having 2 fires close enough to my house that we had ashes on our cars I. have been busy fire hardening our property the last 2 years.
Much of Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area is in a Chaparral area where plants are full of oil and resins and burn fast and hot. They have developed a great web page about hardening all the vulnerable parts of your house and property.
https://firesafemarin.org/harden-your-home/#gsc.tab=0
Mike Godsey
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mac
Joined: 07 Mar 1999 Posts: 17777 Location: Berkeley, California
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Many local governments have approved subdivisions and construction in high hazard zone--fire is the greatest, but flooding can be substantial. Many of those areas cost more to provide services than they generate in taxes. But of course the insurance industry will provide insurance--until they don't.
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fxop
Joined: 13 Jun 1998 Posts: 204
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Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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Mike -- can you comment on why the West Maui Mountains did not protect Lahaina from the supercharged trade winds? We've all driven through gale-force winds in Maalaea to find Lahaina relatively calm. What was different this time?
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windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1907
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Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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fxop wrote: | Mike -- can you comment on why the West Maui Mountains did not protect Lahaina from the supercharged trade winds? We've all driven through gale-force winds in Maalaea to find Lahaina relatively calm. What was different this time? |
Hi Fxop,
That is a great question. You are right; under normal trade wind conditions, Lahaina is mostly protected from the trade winds. Today is a perfect example of that as you can see in the image below.
I have started working on a blog about where these westerly trade winds were so strong and so destructive. Jse, a former long-time Bay Area sailor and now long-time Maui resident, had a friend who shot some video of those winds:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2385236098324645 Wait about 30 seconds into the video when the first big gust arrives.
In the image below notice how the west Maui mountains block most of the trade winds from the North Pacific High. They also catch most of the clouds and rain leaving Lahaina sunny, dry and warm creating a very local low-pressure area. This causes a bit of wind to curl towards Lahaina from the N. and the S.
So what was so different about the days of the Fire? Stay tuned.
Mike Godsey
iwk
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