KULA, Hawaii (KHON2) -- This latest fire is bringing back troubling memories for some in Kula, a neighborhood where houses were also burnt to the ground on Aug. 8, 2023.
Some visitors were also trapped on Haleakala until early Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said about 200 cars were blocked in for up to eight hours on the slopes of Haleakala on Wednesday night . One Kansas family made it to the summit just before the road was closed to take sunset photos around 6:45 p.m.
"I think we were maybe out of our car five, 10 minutes at the most, maybe not even that long. Got back in and headed back down and then ran into the logjam," Wichita resident Paul Cheatum said.
That logjam was from police turning drivers around to wait near the Haleakala Visitors Center until around 1:30 a.m. when National Park Service rangers escorted down vehicles in groups of 10.
"They did a tremendous job. And even as we were going down the mountain, there were still vehicles coming up with what appeared to be, you know, large vehicles to turn over ground and," Paul said.
"Heavy equipment," Sarah Cheatum said.
"And water and whatnot," Paul said
A Kula resident whose main house burned down in the 2023 fires sent in photos from her Ohana Unit that miraculously survived. The current crater fire is about 20 miles from her but she is still hoping for better communication from the County.
"If they could just send out text messages, you know, if MEMA could just like let us know exactly where it is, maybe how what the wind strength is like, which direction it's going," the Kula resident said. "It's mostly just like last time, like civilians keeping each other, you know, in the know."
"It's mostly just like last time, like civilians keeping each other in the know," the resident said.
Officials with the Department of Health stressed that Kula residents -- and anyone who is experiencing signs of anxiety or depression -- should continue their normal behaviors that relieve stress.
"But this is not a normal day. This is a more stressful thing. Connect with other people. If you engage your support system, you're a lot more effective at managing overall stress that you're experiencing," DOH Maui Behavioral Health Wildfire Response project manager.
The resident also said that the response from Maui Fire Department officials is stronger than what she saw in 2023.
"There are so many resources up there that there weren't last time," she said, "I follow them on Facebook and Instagram and they've probably made the most posts of just kind of keeping people calm or saying where it is."
The DOH has a phone number to contact crisis clinicians for mental health support that can be reached at 808-446-6676.