The fire returns, again...

Yesterday the fire just to our north came back with a vengeance. We heard and then saw the helicopters dipping into pools and had the impression that the activity was above us and being driven away by the wind. But we went through the motions for the third time, and packed up a few bags to throw in the truck in case we had to leave in a hurry. We heard fire crews working into the night and very early morning.

This morning tells a bit different tale. Our neighborhood is about a mile square, bordered on the north, east and south with dry ranchland of scrub and kiawe trees. When I woke up well before 6 I realized that there were planes already in the air. I went through the neighborhood to the northern edge, well aware of the heavy smoke hanging in the trees. Yesterday's fire burned literally to the fence line between the houses and the ranch. There were still many trees smoking with smoldering fire, and a number of neighbors on roof tops watching the helicopter make its first rounds of the day. One man had taken his lawn chair, coffee and field glasses to his fence, and was settling in for a long day of watching and waiting.

So the good news is that there is now a firebreak between just and the ranch. The bad news is that it is still smoldering, and even an ember in the high afternoon winds could take hold.

We are a little too busy to worry, since we still have our carpenter here helping with interior projects, and our painting crew outside working on the lanai decks. What was initially a painting project has now blossomed into construction, since many boards were found to be rotten due to poor initial construction, so we have a lot of new wood to treat and install before painting. But at least things are moving along, which is unusual in Maui -- here folks often don't show up at all, or drift in for an hour or two until surf's up. Happily, we have finally found reliable, professional folks, for whom we are quite grateful.

But our bags are still packed.....