The Maui County website states that the death toll from the Maui wildfires in Hawaii reached 93 on Sunday, making it the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, with the number expected to grow as cadaver dogs comb through the remains of Lahaina.
The wildfires have surpassed the deadliness of the 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people, as the state’s biggest natural catastrophe in decades.
LIVE UPDATES: Lahaina fire now the deadliest in modern U.S. history
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 13, 2023
• At least 93 people are dead and at least 2 have been identified
• An estimated 2,207 structures were destroyed or damaged in Lahaina, according to damage assessments https://t.co/WUFh8LTcbD
Maui Wildfires
The fires started just after midnight on Tuesday, as reported by Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura, and were “compounded by extreme winds that we’re all aware of,” he said during a Thursday press conference. He added that the initial fire at upper Makawao destroyed roughly 675 acres.
According to reports, the fires appear to have started in vegetation before quickly spreading into residential areas when the island was shaken by gusts of wind exceeding 96 kmph. The blaze swept into coastal Lahaina rapidly, raging across the intersections and leaping across wooden buildings in the town centre.
Another fire broke out in Kula around Tuesday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of neighbouring residential areas. Then, in the evening, a fourth fire broke out on Pulehu Road in the centre valley “that burned several hundred acres.”
According to Hawaii emergency management data, the warning sirens did not go off before the fire reached the town. Officials sent notifications via mobile phones, TV, and radio stations, but widespread power and cellular outrages might have limited their reach.
The magnitude of the calamity stunned the local government, as reported by the sources. “We’ve never experienced a wildfire that affected a city like this before,” said Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) on Thursday.
Residents rushed into crowded roads, some of which were blocked by blazing debris. On Tuesday, the US Coast Guard rescued 14 individuals, including two children, who jumped into the ocean to escape.
Terrifying footage showing people jumping into the ocean to escape the fires in Maui 😳 pic.twitter.com/Z0yJRlLri3
— Wow Terrifying (@WowTerrifying) August 11, 2023
Affected Areas, Damages, and Casualties
The fires have devastated Maui, destroying hundreds of acres across regions including Kula, North Kohala, and South Kohala.
The massive tourist town of Lahaina in western Maui, which has around 13,000 people, has also been severely affected. Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke (D) described the town as “decimated” and “forever changed.”
According to Maui County officials, around 1,400 people slept at an airport Wednesday night, and over 1,300 slept in emergency shelters before many were escorted to the airport to leave the island. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell told CNN on Thursday that thousands of people are expected to have been displaced.
Since many structures remain possibly risky to enter, Criswell stated that just 3% of the places damaged by the fires have been examined for potential survivors and dead bodies.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to just see an entire community that’s no longer there,” Criswell added, comparing the sight on the Hawaiian island to “an apocalyptic movie.”
According to damage reports, 2,207 structures in Maui were damaged or destroyed by the fires, and 2,719 structures endured exposure to the fires; 86% of exposed buildings were classified as residential. At least 2,170 acres of land have been damaged, and officials estimate that rebuilding the regions affected by the fire will cost more than $5.5 billion.
#TheLegalSAInternational
— The Legal SA (@TheLegalSA) August 14, 2023
Authorities in the U.S. state of Hawaii say that preliminary assessments show that it will cost around $52-million to rebuild parts of Maui consumed by recent wildfires.
Some 93 people have been confirmed dead since the start of the fire at the… pic.twitter.com/oWte5F1Psr
Possible Causes of Wildfire
Drought conditions have likely exacerbated the current fire. According to the US Drought Monitor, about 16% of Maui County was under extreme drought on Tuesday, up from roughly 5% the week before. Lahaina is on the drier, leeward half of the island, which receives less rain.
Invasive, extremely flammable grasses have taken over native vegetation in certain regions. Scientists recognised the growth of highly flammable invasive plant species as a major concern and fuel for wildfires in the region, and that climate change has aggravated dry, hot weather, causing many wildfires to spread more quickly.
The hurricane-force winds cut out power lines and, as they moved downslope, contributed to the rapid spread of fires. According to Neil Lareau, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Nevada, Reno, downslope winds are the primary cause of high-impact fires.
Strong winds from hurricanes, such as Hurricane Dora, can contribute to wildfire spread, with gusts reaching more than 128 kmph. High-speed wind can intensify fanning in hilly routes and valleys, spreading the flames.
Federal Government’s Response
US President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration to offer federal aid for Maui County’s recovery expenditures. California intends to dispatch a search and rescue team to assist with operations in Maui.
Following Biden’s federal disaster proclamation on Thursday, government funds became accessible. According to a FEMA press release, this financing includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property damages, and other programmes for individuals and businesses.
93 people were found dead in the Maui fire in Hawaii #Hawaii #fires
— Ailko Dsaio (@elfkrhayran) August 14, 2023
FEMA's search and rescue dogs began to work, and only 3% of the disaster area was searched, and 93 people were identified as dead. The total number of victims may be in the hundreds.
Officials have yet to… pic.twitter.com/1iRPhyZquM
On Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a public health emergency for Hawaii, retroactive to Tuesday, giving healthcare professionals “more flexibility” to assist those on Medicare and Medicaid, based on a statement from the department.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, more than 100 National Guard members have been activated to respond to the flames. “As of this morning, the National Guard has activated 134 personnel, 99 from the Army National Guard and 35 from the Air National Guard, to assist with the Hawaii wildfire response,” Ryder said.
Ryder added that three more aircraft from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 were sent out to help.
Scientists Warn About Effects of Global Warming
According to scientists, human-caused global warming is worsening natural risks, making them increasingly likely and more catastrophic. The Maui fires occur amid a number of other extreme weather events in North America this summer, including record-breaking wildfires in Canada and a massive heat wave in the US southwest.
Recent research on California fires discovered that increased burnt areas in recent decades were driven by anthropogenic climate change induced by human activity. According to reports, all these disasters happened during dry, hot, windy circumstances that have grown more common due to climate change.
Europe and parts of Asia have also seen high temperatures, with major fires and floods inflicting damage.