HONOLULU, HI – A recent high school graduate is crediting his former teacher with saving his life during the ongoing wildfires in Maui. The fires have claimed over 110 lives to date with well over 1,000 people still missing.
Earlier in August, Lahainaluna High School graduate Joa Navarro found himself at a stoplight nearly out of gas while attempting to flee the area where the wildfires were still raging, when he happened to come across his old science teacher, Jackie Ellis, at the intersection.
Ellis was reportedly in the same mindset as Navarro at the time, as she had packed up her two dogs and was in the midst of evacuating the area. Recounting the chance meeting, Navarro said Ellis told him to hop in her car after conveying that he was nearly out of gas.
Thankful for the godsend, Navarro says in hindsight that he may not have made it out of the area had he not run into his former high school teacher.
“Basically, I would have been on foot," Navarro said. "I mean, I don’t know, even if I didn’t. If I didn’t run into her, I don’t know, I might have just kept going north. And who knows if I would have made it out or not.”
Ellis shared insight into the efforts to evacuate the area, noting the road hazards that had fomented in light of the fires in tandem with the heavy traffic.
“Were able to get out, we had to drive over some downed power lines, but they had put something over it for us. And so that’s why traffic is moving so slowly, because on both ends getting out of Lahaina are just powerlines that are down. So, everyone was kind of like trapped in there.”
After the two successfully evacuated the impacted area, Navarro reportedly settled into the dorms over at the University of Utah, whereas Ellis checked into a hotel.
A press release from Maui County from August 17th notes that 111 deaths have been confirmed as a result of the fires, with local authorities having searched approximately 40% of the area impacted by the fires. According to Hawaii Governor Josh Green, approximately 1,300 are listed as missing in connection to the fires.
The status of the wildfires notes that that the Pulehu/Kihei fire is 100% contained, the Olinda fire is 85% contained, the Kula fire is 80% contained, and the Lahaina fire is 89% contained.
Per the Maui County update on the wildfires in reference to containment statuses, “When a fire is 100% contained, it does not mean it has been extinguished. It means that firefighters have the blaze fully surrounded. A fire is declared ‘extinguished’ when fire personnel believe there is nothing left burning.”
Earlier in August, Lahainaluna High School graduate Joa Navarro found himself at a stoplight nearly out of gas while attempting to flee the area where the wildfires were still raging, when he happened to come across his old science teacher, Jackie Ellis, at the intersection.
Ellis was reportedly in the same mindset as Navarro at the time, as she had packed up her two dogs and was in the midst of evacuating the area. Recounting the chance meeting, Navarro said Ellis told him to hop in her car after conveying that he was nearly out of gas.
Thankful for the godsend, Navarro says in hindsight that he may not have made it out of the area had he not run into his former high school teacher.
“Basically, I would have been on foot," Navarro said. "I mean, I don’t know, even if I didn’t. If I didn’t run into her, I don’t know, I might have just kept going north. And who knows if I would have made it out or not.”
Ellis shared insight into the efforts to evacuate the area, noting the road hazards that had fomented in light of the fires in tandem with the heavy traffic.
“Were able to get out, we had to drive over some downed power lines, but they had put something over it for us. And so that’s why traffic is moving so slowly, because on both ends getting out of Lahaina are just powerlines that are down. So, everyone was kind of like trapped in there.”
After the two successfully evacuated the impacted area, Navarro reportedly settled into the dorms over at the University of Utah, whereas Ellis checked into a hotel.
A press release from Maui County from August 17th notes that 111 deaths have been confirmed as a result of the fires, with local authorities having searched approximately 40% of the area impacted by the fires. According to Hawaii Governor Josh Green, approximately 1,300 are listed as missing in connection to the fires.
The status of the wildfires notes that that the Pulehu/Kihei fire is 100% contained, the Olinda fire is 85% contained, the Kula fire is 80% contained, and the Lahaina fire is 89% contained.
Per the Maui County update on the wildfires in reference to containment statuses, “When a fire is 100% contained, it does not mean it has been extinguished. It means that firefighters have the blaze fully surrounded. A fire is declared ‘extinguished’ when fire personnel believe there is nothing left burning.”
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