Brushfire closes hurricane shelter on Maui

UPDATE: 8/24/2018 9:23 a.m. A brushfire on Hawaii’s island of Maui has forced the relocation of a shelter for people who were staying there as Hurricane Lane approaches.

Maui County officials say there’s a rapidly spreading fire Friday in the community of Lahaina Friday on the island’s western side. Nearby residents are being evacuated.

Officials as a precaution moved 26 people who evacuated because of the hurricane from a shelter at a Lahaina school to a civic center.

Maui County spokesman Rod Antone says it’s not clear if the fire is hurricane related.

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A National Weather Service meteorologist describes flooding on Hawaii’s Big Island as catastrophic, with parts of the island soaked with 35 inches (89 centimeters) of rain in 48 hours.

Chevy Chevalier says the “the sponge is full,” meaning the ground is so wet that additional rain to will pond up and flood.

The hurricane is moving away from the Big Island but could still drop more rain there.

The hurricane center is about 200 miles (322 kilometers) south of Honolulu and moving north at 5 mph (8 kph).

Oahu island before sunrise was getting slammed with wind gusts of up to 60 mph (97 kph). Chevalier says Oahu and Maui are will face hurricane or tropical storm conditions later Friday.

Chevalier says a big concern is heavy rain flowing fast off the islands’ mountains and joining anticipated high surf and storm surge.

He says that leaves coastal areas vulnerable to flooding.