Maui update today: Hawaii wildfire becomes deadliest in modern US history as death toll tops 93
Wildfire rages through Hawaii’s historic Lahaina
The death toll in Maui, Hawaii has reached 93 as the devastating wildfires became the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
The island’s fires are the worst in the country in terms of death toll in over a century, while authorities have warned efforts to find and identify the dead are still at an early stage as cadaver dog teams have been deployed only covered three percent of the search area.
“It will certainly be the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever seen,” Gov. Josh Green said Saturday while touring the devastation in Lahaina.
The newly released death toll surpassed that of the 2018 bonfire in northern California, which killed 85 and destroyed the town of Paradise.
At least two other fires — in the Kihei area of southern Maui and in the mountainous inland communities known as the Upcountry — have raged across the island, with no fatalities reported so far.
Many survivors of the fire said they did not hear sirens or receive a warning, only realizing they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions. Officials sent out alerts, but widespread power and cellphone outages may have limited their range.
Maui wildfires ‘the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever seen’
As the death toll from the Maui wildfires reached 93 early Sunday, Gov. Josh Green called it “the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever seen.”
The extent of the damage became clearer on Saturday, four days after a fast-spreading blaze razed the historic resort town of Lahaina, destroying buildings and melting cars.
Mr Green expressed shock at the extent of the devastation and said: “All we can do is wait and support the living.” Our focus now is to reunite people if we can, get them housing and healthcare, and then start rebuilding turn to.”
Tara CobhamAug 13, 2023 10:47 am
Lahaina residents inspect remains of homes left after Maui’s devastating wildfire
Survivors saw a surreal landscape of destroyed homes, blackened ruins of burned-out cars and ash-colored lots where buildings once stood as they took stock of their devastated lives after a fast-paced wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui that authorities say killed at least 80 people came.
Residents faced catastrophic destruction from the wildfires that ravaged parts of Maui and the city of Lahaina this week.
“We lost everything, thank God we still have each other. We were all alive and safe and being counted. It’s like we’re the only things we have now because everything we had in the past is gone,” said one resident, Christie Gagala.
Lahaina residents inspect remains of homes left after Maui’s devastating wildfire
Survivors saw a surreal landscape of destroyed homes, blackened ruins of burned-out cars and ash-colored lots where buildings once stood as they took stock of their devastated lives after a fast-paced wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui that authorities say killed at least 80 people came. Residents faced catastrophic destruction from the wildfires that ravaged parts of Maui and the city of Lahaina this week. “We lost everything, thank God we still have each other. We were all alive and safe and being counted. It’s like we’re the only things we have now because everything we had in the past is gone,” said one resident, Christie Gagala.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 3:45 p.m
White House ‘considers’ Biden’s visit to disaster site
President Joe Biden briefly responded Sunday morning to a reporter’s shouted question about visiting the site of the Maui wildfire disaster.
As he cycled past the White House pool, Mr. Biden didn’t stop but replied, “We’re looking at that.”
While presidents are expected to visit the places where man-made and natural disasters have hit, the logistics involved are difficult given the strain on the places affected in the days after a disaster.
The White House tends to withhold presidential travel for the immediate aftermath so as not to get in the way of recovery efforts. Add to that the logistical problem that Maui is a ten hour flight from Washington, DC.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 3:17 p.m
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez donate $100 million to relief fund
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 2:45 p.m
Fires in Hawaii: Frightened residents flee desperately in apocalyptic scenes
These shocking scenes show terrified residents desperately trying to escape the wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii. The footage captured by Bosco Bae Jr. resembles scenes from Hollywood movies, in which people try to escape from falling trees, burning buildings and flying ash. The footage comes as Maui Mayor Richard Bissen revealed the historic city was completely destroyed by wildfires, declaring, “It’s all gone.” The death toll from the devastating wildfires on the island of Maui, Hawaii, has now risen to 67 – as officials warned the loss of life is expected to continue rising.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 2:15 p.m
How did the wildfires in Hawaii start?
Ariana Baio has compiled everything we know about the origin of the wildfires in Hawaii.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 1:45 p.m
Because the phones were off, the neighboring network, Coconut Wireless, was unable to warn of danger
According to the Hawaii governor, earlier this week, rapidly advancing wildfires crippled phone service on Maui and prevented neighbors’ usual local “coconut wireless” network from updating each other with the latest news and keeping islanders safe from the danger warn Josh Green.
“We used to talk on the phone to each other, and through the so-called ‘coconut radio system,’ where everyone talks to everyone in their community, we knew immediately there was danger,” he said said CNN on Friday. “That communication was disrupted by the destruction of what was essentially 1000-degree heat coming down the mountain.”
Josh Marcus Reports from San Francisco.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 1:00 p.m
Voices: Maui is my home – after the wildfires I don’t recognize the place I love anymore
I am an English expat naturalized after 17 years in both the US and the Hawaiian Islands. Maui is my home. As a Maui resident who married into a family born and raised on the island, the loss of Old Town Lahaina is devastating.
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 12:15 p.m
Some wait agonizingly to make contact as they search for the missing. And then the phone rings.
Leshia Wright heard the crackling of the fast-moving inferno approaching her home in Lahaina and decided it was time for an evacuation.
The 66-year-old grabbed her lung medication and passport and fled the residential area of Hawaii’s historic coastal community just minutes before the blaze ravaged the area. Hours later, she called family members and told them she had slept in her car.
Then her phone broke…
Oliver O’ConnellAug 13, 2023 11:30 am
