Title: Maui Wildfires Becomes Deadliest U.S. Wildfire in Over a Century, Death Toll Rises to 93
Date: August 12, 2023
Location: Kahului, Hawaii
The tragic death toll from the devastating wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, has now reached 93, according to the Maui County website. This makes it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. Authorities have warned that the number is likely to increase as search teams, including cadaver dogs, continue to sift through the ruins of Lahaina.
The full extent of the damage caused by the fast-moving blaze that engulfed the historic resort town has become more apparent. Buildings have been obliterated, and cars have melted under the intense heat. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has estimated that it will cost approximately $5.5 billion to rebuild Lahaina. More than 2,200 structures have been damaged or destroyed, and over 2,100 acres of land have been burned.
Governor Josh Green of Hawaii issued a somber warning during a press conference on Saturday. He stated that the death toll is expected to rise as more victims are discovered. So far, search and rescue dogs have only covered 3% of the search area.
Residents have questioned the effectiveness of the state’s emergency notification systems, prompting officials to promise an examination of the current protocols. Many residents were caught off guard by the fire and were forced to seek refuge in the Pacific Ocean. Sirens designed to warn of natural disasters did not sound, and widespread power and cellular outages limited alternative methods of alerting residents.
Anne Lopez, the state’s attorney general, has announced a review of the decision-making process prior to and during the fire. Governor Green has also authorized a review of the emergency response. The disastrous events were a result of multiple factors, including communication failures, hurricane winds of up to 80 mph (130 kph), and a separate wildfire in close proximity. These conditions made it extremely challenging to coordinate in real-time with the emergency management agency responsible for issuing warnings and evacuation orders.
The death toll from the Maui wildfires has now surpassed the 1960 tsunami that claimed 61 lives, making it Hawaii’s worst natural disaster since it became a U.S. state. Furthermore, it has surpassed the death toll of the 2018 fire in Paradise, California, which claimed the lives of 85 individuals. This fire also marks the highest death toll from a wildfire since 1918.
Efforts are underway to support those who have lost their homes. Officials have secured 1,000 hotel rooms for affected individuals and are arranging rental properties as temporary housing, free of charge. Emergency shelters have taken in over 1,400 people.
FEMA has deployed 150 personnel to assist with the response and is sending additional search teams and dogs to aid in the ongoing search and rescue operations.
Residents were allowed to return to parts of west Maui on Friday, but the fire zone in Lahaina remains blocked off as search operations continue. The number of people still missing is unclear, but hundreds are yet to be accounted for.
The fire began with a brush fire in Kula, approximately 35 miles (55 km) from Lahaina, in the early hours of Tuesday. Power was subsequently lost in Lahaina, and as the day progressed, the fire rapidly spread, engulfing the town. It remains unclear whether residents received the evacuation orders posted on social media as they desperately fled from the advancing flames.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of this catastrophic event, questions about preparedness and response will be scrutinized to prevent such a tragedy from occurring in the future.
(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)