As Maui officials are scrutinized for not using warning sirens during last week’s deadly wildfire, a letter has revealed there was a delay in granting state permission to use water streams, possibly thwarting firefighters. The West Maui Land Co. Inc. wrote to M. Kaleo Manuel, deputy director of the Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM), on Aug. 10 about communication issues in diverting water to fill reservoirs for firefighters. While much of the fire had been contained by then, according to the letter, West Maui Land said reservoirs were near-empty and firefighters needed to tap into streams to “store as much water as possible for fire control.” But CWRM instead asked if the fire department was requesting permission and told the company it needed to check with the downstream user. When permission was finally granted, it was too late, the letter states. “We watched the devastation unfold around us without the ability to help,” the letter said. Manuel, who has reportedly been reassigned while a probe is underway, did not respond to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s request for comment.
