As Maui firefighters prepare for busy fire season, they’re still ‘in the thick’ of recovery

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As they mark eight months since the wildfire disaster, Maui firefighters are grappling with long-term impacts even as they prepare for a busy fire season ahead.

Eighteen firefighters lost their homes in West Maui on August 8.

Some watched their homes burn as they were fighting the blazes.

“As they were actively fighting fire in Lahaina, they would actively see their homes burning down. They continued to fight, they continued to work hard to save Lahaina that they lived in so obviously afterward is devastating,” said Jeremey Irvin, Fire Fighters Association executive board member.

He said the union helped with resources firefighters during and after the disaster.

Maui Wildfires Disaster

On Monday, at a conference of the International Association of Fire Fighters 10th district, Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura and other Maui firefighters came to say mahalo for their support.

Ventura told Hawaii News Now firefighters are still in recovery mode.

“The work that they did on that day, and the month that followed, will forever impact them. There will be challenges. They’ll relive it,” Ventura said.

“I’ve heard many of them say what could we have done better? Many of them were apologetic when we went to council meetings for not being able to save the community.

“I would say we are still in the thick of our recovery,” he added.

Ventura says Maui firefighters respond to 45 to 70 wildfires per month during the August and September drought season, but it’s busy all year round.

“As we go into our drought months, we’re going to see all of that fuel dry up. On days with low humidity, high winds, the risk of wildfires is greater and greater,” said Ventura.

On Friday, Ventura will go before the Maui County Council for his budget request, which includes asking for 29 more firefighter positions and additional equipment.

“The one thing I have to make sure everybody understands is just throwing all the money in the world at the wildfire problem isn’t the complete solution,” said Ventura.

“Our message is to make, make it a kako’o thing,” he added.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.