Thousands forced to evacuate in Hawaii after fire proves to be record breaking

Residents return to what is left of their homes Wednesday after a fire tore through Big Island, Hawaii. The record breaking fire forced thousands of people to evacuate. The raw video above shows some of the damage, and includes clips of interviews with two Big Island residents.

“You know, my neighbors. Feel for them. That’s why we’re going to help them. No matter what it takes,” resident Joe Pacheco said.

One of those residents who lost everything is Joshua Kihe. He said he tried to protect his property but lost the battle after the wind picked up. He said the fire totally destroyed his home. “Just living up here instills within you the style to just keep on living no matter what kind of obstacles throws at you. So it makes you stronger in that way, you know,” Kihe said.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the Mana Road Fire has consumed 40,000 acres. “It’s the biggest (fire) we’ve ever had on this island,” Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth said. “With the drought conditions that we’ve had, it is of concern. You see something like this where you’re putting thousands of homes in danger, it’s very concerning.”

The islands have seen a downward trend in rainfall in recent years. Drought conditions have reached the most severe level in some parts of Hawaii in recent years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Strong winds made the firefighters’ battle against the flames more difficult Tuesday into Wednesday. The fire chief said nearby communities could be inundated with smoke and that anyone with health or breathing problems should find somewhere else to stay.

Mayor Roth said with the way the wind comes through the area, officials and residents must stay vigilant. “The winds kind of swirl, so they’ll be coming at one direction for a couple of minutes and then all of a sudden, they’re blowing in a different direction; that makes it really very difficult to fight a fire when you have swirling winds,” Roth said.