Pioneer Inn

This past week, a wildfire swept through Lāhainā, Maui. Sadly, the fires destroyed a majority of the town, including the world-renown Front Street, and the landmark Pioneer Inn. The  fire left a trail of destruction from the West Maui Mountains, to the grasslands above Lāhainā, to the water's edge of Front Street. The photo above was taken in March 2009, during one of our trips to Maui.

The fires were blown by high winds as the effects of Hurricane Dora passing south of the islands, and a high pressure system to the north of the islands. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the compressed winds came down from the West Maui Mountains, and created a firestorm that consumed whatever was in its path. There are also three other brush fires ablaze on Maui: Wailuku, Kula, and Kīhei, that spread firefighting resources thin.

Keep the people of Maui in your prayers, and help out in any way you can!

Continuing coverage by Hawai‘i News Now.