A crowd enjoys the annual Fourth of July fireworks show in Lahaina town on Wednesday evening. The 15-minute show capped off a daylong celebration in Lahaina that included live music, face painters, stilt walkers and food vendors. About 20,000 people flocked to the town for the Independence Day celebration, according to a preliminary estimate from the LahainaTown Action Committee that organizes the festivities every year.
Second photo: Magician Brenton Keith entertains 8-year-old Hunter Hayward (left) of Redding, Calif., and 11-year-old Arjun Patel of Kahana with a magic trick Wednesday afternoon in Lahaina.
BRYAN BERKOWITZ photos
Central East Maui’s Anu Chaves throws a pitch in the second inning during CEM’s 10-0 victory against Maui Upcountry. The Maui News / CHRIS SUGIDONO photo
Kyoko Kimura
Kristie Leonguerrero sits on a fire hose and comforts her mother’s dog Bruno as she watches Maui firefighters douse hot spots Wednesday afternoon in Kihei. Her dog Tucker is in the background. Leonguerrero’s mother’s Kawailani Circle home was damaged in a fast-moving brush fire that destroyed two houses and scorched four others. According to an eyewitness, the fire may have been caused by kids playing with fireworks. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
Residents stand in the Kihei right of way where the fire started as Maui firefighters mop up Wednesday. All five houses in the photo were damaged by the fire that raged down a line of bush and dry grass.The right of way is planned to be developed someday into a leg of the Kihei north-south collector road — the gated-off dirt road starts where Liloa Drive ends. The fire was close to Liloa’s dead end.
Firefighters hose down one of the homes that was destroyed Wednesday afternoon.
Stunned residents survey the scene Wednesday afternoon. Tammy King (center) had just moved into one of the houses that was damaged.
The coqui frog is slightly larger than an inch long, with color ranging from light yellow to dark brown, according to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. Its distinct, two-note call sounds like “co-qui,” which gives the frog its name. Photo provided by Hawaii Invasive Species Council