MAUI WILDFIRES IN HAWAII CLAIM 93 LIVES, BECOMING DEADLIEST U.S. WILDFIRE IN OVER A CENTURY
KAHULUI, Hawaii, Aug 12 (Reuters) – The death toll from the Maui wildfires in Hawaii has reached 93, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, according to the Maui County website. The number is expected to rise as cadaver dogs continue to search through the ruins of Lahaina.
The devastating scale of the damage became more apparent four days after the fast-moving blaze leveled the historic resort town, destroying buildings and melting cars. The cost to rebuild Lahaina has been estimated at $5.5 billion, with over 2,200 structures damaged or destroyed and more than 2,100 acres burned.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned that the death toll would continue to increase as more victims are discovered. So far, only 3% of the search area has been covered by dogs trained to detect bodies, according to Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, officials have pledged to review the state’s emergency notification systems. Some residents questioned whether more could have been done to warn them before the fire engulfed their homes. Due to widespread power and cellular outages, sirens stationed around the island, intended to warn of natural disasters, never sounded.
The state’s attorney general, Anne Lopez, announced a review of the decision-making process before and during the fire, while Governor Green authorized a review of the emergency response. Officials have described a challenging set of circumstances, including communication network failures, hurricane winds gusting up to 80 miles per hour, and a separate wildfire in a different location, which made coordination and issuing timely warnings and evacuation orders extremely difficult.
Governor Green acknowledged the need to learn from the tragedy, stating, “Over time, we’ll be able to figure out if we could have better protected people.” He emphasized the extraordinary difficulties posed by multiple fires and dangerous winds.
The death toll from the Maui wildfires surpasses Hawaii’s previous worst natural disaster, a tsunami that claimed 61 lives in 1960. It also exceeds the toll from the 2018 fire in Paradise, California, which claimed 85 lives. The last time a wildfire claimed a higher toll was in 1918, when the Cloquet fire in Minnesota and Wisconsin killed 453 people.
Efforts are underway to provide assistance to those who lost their homes. Officials have secured 1,000 hotel rooms and are arranging rental properties at no cost to affected families. More than 1,400 people have been accommodated in emergency shelters.
FEMA director Deanne Criswell stated that the agency has 150 personnel on the ground, with additional search teams and dogs expected to arrive within the next few days.
Authorities have started allowing residents back into west Maui, although the fire zone in Lahaina remains barricaded. Search operations are ongoing, and officials have warned of potential toxic fumes from smoldering areas. The exact number of missing individuals is still unclear.
At a family assistance center in Kahului, June Lacuesta expressed his concern for nine relatives who have not been heard from since Tuesday. Lacuesta described the indescribable feelings he experiences when seeing the devastation in Lahaina and vowed to continue his search at a church shelter.
The disaster began with a brush fire reported in the town of Kula, approximately 35 miles from Lahaina, just after midnight on Tuesday. Power was knocked out in Lahaina about five hours later. Updates posted on Facebook by Maui County indicated a contained brush fire in Lahaina around 6:30 a.m., but the fire flared up later in the day.
Residents began evacuating, while those on the west side of town, including hotel guests, were instructed to shelter in place. The county issued a series of evacuation orders on Facebook, but it remains unclear if residents received them amidst the chaos and rapidly advancing flames.
Witnesses described the terrifying experience of having little warning as the blaze engulfed the town within minutes.
Reporting by Mike Blake in Kahului, Hawaii, and Marco Garcia in Honolulu, Hawaii; Additional reporting by David Ljunggren, Jorge Garcia, and Sandra Stojanovic; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Raju Gopalakrishnan, and William Mallard
What are some other temporary housing options being provided to the displaced residents affected by the Maui wildfires?
Other temporary housing options for displaced residents. Local organizations and the Red Cross are also providing emergency supplies and support to those affected.
The Maui wildfires have not only devastated the community of Lahaina but have also shaken the entire state of Hawaii. The loss of life and extensive damage has sparked conversations about the importance of emergency preparedness and response.
As investigations and reviews are conducted to understand the decisions made leading up to and during the fire, there is a recognition of the difficult circumstances faced by officials. The combination of communication failures, strong winds, and multiple fires created a challenging environment for issuing timely warnings and conducting evacuations.
Governor Green has expressed the need to learn from this tragedy and improve the state’s emergency response systems. The review process will provide valuable insights to ensure that similar situations can be handled more effectively in the future.
With the death toll surpassing previous natural disasters in Hawaii and becoming the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, efforts are being made to support the affected residents. Temporary housing options and emergency supplies are being provided to help those who lost their homes.
As the community mourns the loss of 93 lives, the focus now shifts to rebuilding and recovery. The estimated cost of rebuilding Lahaina is significant, but the resilience and determination of the people of Hawaii will undoubtedly contribute to the restoration of their beloved town.
