Hurricane Winds Stir Up Wildfires in Hawaii, Forcing Evacuations

Thousands have been evacuated, and more left without power after wildfires exploded in parts of the Hawaiian islands this week. In Maui, mandatory evacuations are in place in Lahaina, and winds are driven by powerful Hurricane Dora, roaring through the Pacific more than 700 miles south of the Hawaiian islands. A Maui County official reported Wednesday that six people have died because of the fires. A U.S. Coast Guard water rescue of 12 people off the coast of Lahaina took place Wednesday morning, as people jumped into the water to flee the flames.

In response, Direct Relief is deploying emergency supplies requested by health facilities in Hawaii, including a specialized wildfire kit containing essential medications, N95 masks, field medic packs, and personal care products for those who have been displaced.

The hospitals in Maui are overwhelmed with burn patients and people recovering from smoke inhalation; the difficulty of transporting surge patients to other hospitals on other islands in Hawaii is hampering the response. Maui’s Kahului Airport is sheltering approximately 1,800 travelers from canceled flights and arrivals.

Fires are also burning in other parts of Hawaii, including near Kohala Ranch on the Big Island. Five shelters across Hawaii were open on Tuesday night, with an overnight resident population of 335 evacuees. About 14,000 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday, according to Poweroutage.us.

Health Impacts of Wildfires

In addition to the acute medical issues around burns and smoke inhalation, wildfires can also prompt mass evacuations, creating separate health risks. When people are suddenly displaced from their homes, they may leave without critical medications to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. If unmanaged, these conditions can escalate, leaving the person requiring emergency care, at a time when health systems and emergency rooms may already be inundated.

Fires can also create massive power outages, leaving large areas without electricity, which can be deadly for those dependent on medical devices, including ventilators and medical oxygen delivery.

Direct Relief’s Response

Direct Relief has a long history of supporting health facilities in Hawaii, during disasters and on an ongoing basis. In response to the fires, Direct Relief has contacted 19 facilities it supports to assess medical needs, including the Hawaii Primary Care Association. Direct Relief has also communicated with the Hawaii Department of Health and the U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response about anticipated needs.

Direct Relief maintains an inventory of medicines and medical aid commonly requested during wildfires, including insulin and other chronic disease management medications, respiratory therapies such as inhalers and nebulizers, ophthalmic medications, N-95 masks, air purifiers, and personal care products for people who have been displaced during evacuations. For medical power needs, the organization maintains an array of resilient back-up power options available for request.

The organization is sharing current medical inventory lists and will respond to the fires as requested.