By: Ansel Dong
Maui's wildfires ignited on August 8th and have raged unabated until the present day, resulting in a tragic toll of at least 93 lives lost by early Sunday. Governor Josh Green has characterized this catastrophe as Hawaii's most devastating natural disaster.
Fire survivor Craig Bradley said that at 4 in the morning, there were power outages, and the wind was at 70 miles per hour. He mentioned that tiles were ripped off roofs and rooftop wood was exposed, and about 50 power lines were down. Another survivor, Keeler Malmsten, said that people couldn’t breathe because the smoke was so thick. She noted that the “craziest part” was how quickly the fire spread.
Additionally, the fire started due to the high winds causing trees to fall into a Hawaiian Electric power line. The magnitude of the fire's impact became painfully apparent on a somber Sunday, four days after the blaze swiftly swept through Lahaina, obliterating its historic resort town. The sight of leveled structures and melted vehicles was a stark testament to the destruction. Governor Green, faced with this shock, underscored the urgent need to provide support and aid to the survivors. He emphasized the importance of reuniting families, providing housing, healthcare, and eventually embarking on the arduous journey of rebuilding. The death toll, authorities fear, may already make this among the deadliest fires in US history, with the grim possibility of even further escalation.
Furthermore, Maui Police Chief John Pelletier disclosed that the teams, aided by cadaver-sniffing dogs, have thus far managed to search only three percent of the ravaged expanse. He conveyed the monumental task ahead, describing the area as a five-square-mile zone, laden with memories of loved ones. The uncertainty of the situation is daunting, as the full scope of the tragedy remains unknown. Identification of the deceased presents a harrowing challenge, with remains found in heartbreaking conditions, testimony to the intense heat of the fire. So far, only two bodies have been positively identified. The diligent canines, working amidst the debris, employ their distinct bark to alert handlers to potential remains. Eerily absent were the island's sirens, meant to warn of impending fires, a stark contrast to the warnings that power and cellular outages could offer.
The results have shown that the loss of life due to the fire, though still relatively small, compelled some to resort to drastic measures, with individuals being forced to seek refuge by wading into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Governor Green provided a grim assessment of the extensive damage inflicted upon West Maui, citing over 2,200 structures that lay damaged or destroyed, with nearly 1,890 of these being residences. The staggering cost of this devastation is estimated at an astonishing $6 billion. The journey to recovery, Green somberly noted, will be a monumental undertaking that will require an "incredible amount of time."