UPDATE:
Hawai?i Tourism Authority issued the following in a release:
"Visitors who are on non-essential travel are being asked to leave Maui, and non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged at this time.?In the days and weeks ahead, our collective resources and attention must be focused on the recovery of residents and communities that were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses.
Visitors who have travel plans to West Maui in the coming weeks are encouraged to consider rescheduling their travel plans for a later time.?
Visitors with travel plans to stay in other parts of Maui and the Kohala Coast of Hawai?i Island in the coming weeks are encouraged to contact their hotels for updated information and how their travel plans may be affected. Travel to Kaua?i, O?ahu, Moloka?i, Lna?i, and other parts of Hawai?i Island are not affected at this time.
While Kahului Airport on Maui remains open at this time, residents and visitors with travel bookings are encouraged to check with their airline for any flight changes or cancellations, or for assistance with rebooking."
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Evacuations are underway on the Hawaiian island of Maui as wildfires fanned by strong winds associated with Hurricane Dora rage across the island, including in historic Lahaina.
Scenes were described as "apocalyptic" as some people were forced to jump into the ocean to escape the approaching flames.
Fires are also impacting the Big Island.?
Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke confirmed to CNN that 911 and phone service was down as of Wednesday morning. "Our hospital system on Maui, they are overburdened with burn patients, people suffering from inhalation, she said. The reality is that we need to fly people out of Maui to give them burn support because Maui hospital cannot do extensive burn treatment."
"Lahaina has been devastated," Clint Hansen told the news outlet. "People jumping in the ocean to escape the flames, being rescued by the Coast Guard. All boat owners are being asked to rescue people. It's apocalyptic."
Changing wind and terrain conditions mean that officials aren't exactly sure where the fires will spread to next. According to Luke, state officials are working with hotels and a local airlines to try to evacuate tourists to another island.
Travelers flying on Hawaiian Airlines to or from Kahului, Maui (OGG) between August 9-11, 2023 can reschedule their flight to new dates with no change fees. Tickets must be rebooked into the same compartment (Main Cabin or Business Cabin) by August 18, 2023, and travel must recommence by September 1, 2023.
Customers can also cancel their flight and keep the unused value of the ticket until the ticket expires one year from purchase.
Other carriers have issued similar waivers in the wake of the natural disaster.
"We have suffered a terrible disaster in the form of a wildfire that has spread widely as a result of hurricane-force winds in the region and underlying drought conditions," Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a statement.
"Maui and the Big Island both experienced significant fires. Much of Lahaina on Maui has been destroyed and hundreds of local families have been displaced."
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