Off The News: Fire watch for leeward communities

The National Weather Serv­ice (NWS) has issued its first fire weather watch since the Maui wildfires, which should put leeward communities across the state on high alert, as windy and dry conditions leave them vulnerable.

The NWS also had issued a fire watch before the Aug. 8 wildfire that devastated Lahaina, becoming the nation’s deadliest fire disaster in a century.

Current winds will be less severe than they were then, when gusts surpassing 60 mph set embers aloft, causing fire to leap large distances in a very short time. But the predicted trades of 15 to 30 mph, with gusts of 40 to 45 mph today and Thursday, can also cause fires to spread rapidly.