Maui firefighters make progress on 2 wildfires

Maui firefighters continued to make progress Saturday night on two large wildfires as Mayor Michael Victorino urged residents and visitors to remain alert over the next few days.

The 9,000-acre fire that was reported at 10:32 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of Kuihelani Highway and Waiko Road was 80% contained Saturday evening as firefighters continued to douse hot spots, according to county officials.

A separate 200-acre fire that was first reported at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the vicinity of the new Safeway and Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Kahului was 90% contained.

All roads were open Saturday and there were no further evacuations.

Smoke seen Saturday in the Puunene area was the result of firefighters working to “burn out” unburned brush and other fuel around the Puunene fire to keep it from spreading, county officials said.

The Department of Fire and Public Safety’s Air 1 and Air 2 helicopters were expected to continue making air drops until sunset Saturday.

The 9,000-acre fire spread rapidly south and east, jumping Kuihelani and Maui Veterans highways as it burned fallow sugar cane lands and dry brush to north Kihei.

The fire triggered road closures and evacuations in Maalaea and North Kihei and disrupted flights to Kahului Airport.

Employees and volunteers at the Maui Humane Society in Puunene were forced to evacuate with more than 200 animals Thursday, said Nancy Willis, the organization’s director of development and marketing.

“I don’t want to be dramatic but the fire was very close,” Willis said. “The flames were right up to our fence line. Everything is black around the shelter. It’s a miracle the shelter is still standing.”

There are now burn marks on the shelter’s outdoor storage containers and Willis believes firefighters fought to save the shelter, as well as the Army National Guard armory down the street.

Shelter employees and volunteers on Thursday were able to find foster homes for 157 animals, especially vulnerable rabbits, guinea pigs, older cats and bottle-fed kittens, Willis said.

But Friday night volunteers and employees continued to camp out under a banyan tree at the Maui High School evacuation center with 12 dogs and about 50 cats.

“I think the animals thought it was a big slumber party,” Willis said. “They got multiple walks.”

On Thursday, media mogul and part-time Maui resident Oprah Winfrey opened her private road on the lower slopes of Haleakala to allow the county access to battle the fire as it quickly spread, fanned by the gusty winds that blow through Central Maui.

On Saturday, Winfrey stopped by the Maui Humane Society shelter and offered “a very generous donation,” Willis said, declining to specify the amount.

Winfrey posed for a picture with the Humane Society’s sign then posted the photo on Instagram with the message: “Everyone’s safe including all the animals. Thank you for your service. #mauipolicedepartment #mauifiredepartment #mauihumanesociety.”