This photo provided by County of Maui shows fire and smoke filling the sky from wildfires on the intersection at Hokiokio Place and Lahaina Bypass in Maui, Hawaii on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. (Zeke Kalua/County of Maui via AP)

The Maui News

The Upcountry/Kula fire that was first reported Aug. 8 is now 65 percent contained, while the Lahaina fire is 85 percent contained, Maui County said late Monday night.

Now estimated at 678 acres, the Upcountry fire included hot spots in gulches and other hard-to-reach places, along with land divisions and fences, making it difficult to establish complete control lines, the county said in an update at 10 p.m. Monday. During daylight hours on Monday, air support was deployed to hit hot spots.

The Lahaina fire was estimated at 2,170 acres, with multiple fire crews assigned to monitor and address any flare-ups. The county said there were no active threats from the fire.

Fire personnel are also staying vigilant for flare-ups at the Pulehu/Kihei fire, which was declared 100 percent contained Saturday and currently poses no active threat. The 1-acre Puukolii/Kaanapali fire initially reported Friday and extinguished Saturday remains extinguished.

“When a fire is 100-percent contained, it does not mean it has been extinguished,” the county noted. “It means that firefighters have the blaze fully surrounded by a perimeter, inside which it can still burn. A fire is declared ‘extinguished’ when fire personnel believe there is nothing left burning.”

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