Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has expressed his sadness as deadly wildfires burn across Maui in Hawaii, brought on by Hurricane Dora.
Wildfires fanned by winds have killed at least six people and devastated much of the island, forcing thousands to evacuate as some people fled into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames.
Multiple neighbourhoods were burnt to the ground on Wednesday as the western side of the island, including the tourist resort of Lahaina, was nearly cut off with only one highway open as officials told Reuters of widespread devastation that was still too early to quantify.
Brown said he frequented the tourist hotspot yearly and was devastated to see the destruction the fires had caused in Lahania.
“This is my favourite town outside of NZ. I surf there most years and it has been destroyed by a dreadful fire. It is a historic whaling village steeped in cultural traditions and mana.”
Maui County Mayor Richard Missen has so far confirmed six deaths and dozens of injuries.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has asked visitors who are on non-essential travel to leave Maui, and non-essential travel to Maui is being strongly discouraged.
House of Travel chief operating officer Brent Thomas said hundreds of Kiwis were in Hawaii and the agency was talking to affected people on a case-by-case basis.
”Hawaii is a popular holiday destination all year round and typically New Zealanders do travel in the winter season to get away,” Thomas said.
”There is a significant number of people heading to Hawaii in the coming days.”
Thomas understood that airports in Hawaii were not affected by the fires, but it was a fast-changing situation.
”It’s devastating for the people of Hawaii.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Maui and are contacting affected customers. At this stage it’s been recommended non-essential travel to Maui be postponed, Hawaiian Airlines is allowing passengers to make changes to their flights.”
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said they have not received any requests for consular assistance.
“New Zealanders in Hawaii are advised to follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders. Avoid the affected areas and monitor the media for the latest updates. New Zealanders currently in Hawaii should contact their loved ones back home to let them know they are ok.”
• New Zealanders in need of consular assistance can contact the 24/7 Consular Emergency Line on +64 99 20 20 20.
