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In my opinion, the July 11 fire in the central valley was foreseeable, especially given that we've had over 20 days straight of above 90-degree heat and little rain. It's too bad Mahi Pono (and A&B before them) didn't do more to till or disc the fields, clear away brush and carve much wider firebreaks before now. But I guess the state and county government didn't require A&B to do more with the land when they stopped sugar production. Mustn't upset or inconvenience A&B, right?
Further, in my opinion there's been a need for a fully staffed fire station in Maalaea for a long time now, especially given all the fires and accidents that occur on the pali every year. If there was a fully staffed fire station in Maalaea, a fire engine or two could have been at the location where this fire started in a few minutes, and likely kept it a much smaller one. Unfortunately, the wind picked up and away it went.
Calls for vigilance don't really accomplish much. How about some action, Mr. Mayor?
Chris Profio
Kahului