6,200-acre Maalaea Blaze called largest in Maui, officially extinguished

The brush fire that began a week ago on Monday, June 7, 2010 in the mountainous terrain above Ma’alea, was officially extinguished by 12:30 this (Monday, June 14, 2010) afternoon.  County officials say the 6,200 acre fire is believed to be the largest to impact the island of Maui.  The cause remains under investigation.

Maalaea fire. File photo 6/10/10 by Wendy Osher.

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares offered her thanks to those that assisted throughout the week saying, “We can never say enough to thank our firefighters, police, supporting agencies, businesses, and community organizations for their hard work throughout these past several days as we dealt with such a massive brush fire.”

“Despite the difficulties that the fire imposed on our island, our community did not hesitate to help others in need – something we can all be proud of. I also appreciate the efforts of the public to stay informed and cooperate with emergency management personnel, these efforts are always important in situations affecting public safety,” she said.