Maui wildfire death toll rises to 80 as survivors return to devastation
At least 80 people have been killed by wildfires raging in Maui as survivors return to a surreal landscape of flattened homes, burned-out cars and ashy ground where buildings once stood.
Residents are taking stock of their lives and belongings after fires ripped through the Hawaiian island in one of the deadliest natural disasters in Hawaii's history. Authorities have confirmed that at least 80 people have died, with that number expected to climb.
Anthony Garcia assessed the devastation as he stood under Lahaina's iconic banyan tree, which now sits scarred and charred. Mr Garcia, who lost everything he owned, swept twisted branches into neat piles next to another heap which was filled with dead animals - cats, roosters, and other birds killed by the smoke and flames.
"If I don't do something, I'll go nuts," said Mr Garcia. "I'm losing my faith in God."
Dry conditions and hurricane winds created the perfect storm for the fires to spread rapidly across the island (AP)He and other residents were met with widespread destruction as they returned to their communities which had been ravaged by the fires which tore through parts of the island this week, and were still not fully contained on Friday night, August 11.
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In a statement issued at 9pm local time on Friday, Maui County raised the number of confirmed deaths to 80. Governor Josh Green had warned the death toll would likely rise still as search and rescue operations continue. A curfew has been put in place from 10pm Friday until 6am Saturday.
"The recovery's going to be extraordinarily complicated, but we do want people to get back to their homes and just do what they can to assess safety, because it's pretty dangerous," Governor Green said.
Lahaina was decimated by the ferocious wildfires (AP)Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr has said cadaver-sniffing dogs have been deployed to search for those who had died. As the devastation continues, a new wildfire on Friday evening triggered the evacuation of Kaanapali in West Maui.
The community lies northeast of the area that burned earlier, however, crews were able to extinguish the fire before 8.30pm according to authorities.
Attorney General Anne Lopez announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of decision-making and standing policies impacting the response to the deadly wildfires. It comes after confusion as to whether emergency alerts and warning sirens had been deployed as wildfires ripped through the region.
"My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires, and to sharing with the public the results of this review," said Ms Lopez in a statement.
These wildfires are the state's deadliest natural disaster in decades, surpassing the 1960 tsunami which killed 61 people. An even deadlier tsunami in 1946, which killed more than 150 on the Big Island, prompted the development of a territory-wide emergency system with sirens that are tested monthly.
Burnt out cars line the sea wall after the wildfire on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Lahaina (AP)Many fire survivors said they heard no sirens and didn't receive a warning giving them enough time to adequately prepare. Some only realised they were in danger when they saw flames approaching or heard explosions.
"There was no warning," said Lynn Robinson, who lost her home.
Hawaii emergency management records do not indicate warning sirens sounded before people were forced to flee for their lives. Officials sent alerts to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, but widespread power and phone outgates may have limited their reach.
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A perfect storm of a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane led to at least three wildfires erupting on Maui, which raced through the parched brush covering the island. The most serious blaze swept its way into Lahaina on Tuesday, August 8, leaving a grid of grey rubble wedged between the blue ocean and lush green slopes.
(AP)The devastation of Lahaina included nearly every building on Front Street, the heart of historic Lahaina and the economic hub of Maui. Cars that didn't escape the flames were left in an eerie traffic jam as roosters who managed to survive meandered through the ashes.
Skeletal remains of buildings bowed under roofs which had pancaked in the blaze. Palm trees were torched, boats in the harbour were scorched and the area was encased in a stench of burning.
"It hit so quick, it was incredible," said Kyle Scharnhorst as he surveyed his damaged apartment building.
Meanwhile, Summer and Gilles Gerling attempted to salvage keepsakes from the ashes of their home. All they could find was the piggy bank Summer's father gave her as a child, their daughter's jade bracelet and watches they had given each other for their wedding.
However, their wedding rings were gone. They spoke of their fear as the strong wind whipped the smoke and flames closer to their home, but said they were happy to have made it out alive with their two children.
"Safety was the main concern. These are all material things," explained Gilles.
Summer Gerling picks up her piggy bank found in the rubble of her home following the wildfire (AP)This summer's wildfires are already forecast to be the second-costliest disaster in Hawaii's history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992, according to disaster and risk modelling firm Karen Clark & Company.
The fire is the deadliest in the US since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and decimated the town of Paradise. The danger on Maui was well known.
Maui County's hazard mitigation plan updated in 2020 identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfires and several buildings at risk. The report also notes West Maui had the island's second-highest rate of households without a vehicle and the highest rate of non-English speakers.
"This may limit the population's ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events," the plan stated. Maui's firefighting efforts may also have been hampered by limited staff and equipment.
Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association, said there are a maximum of 65 county firefighters working at any given time with responsibility for three islands: Maui, Molokai and Lanai. The department has about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but no off-road vehicles to thoroughly attack brush fires before they reach roads or populated areas, he said.
Maui water officials have warned residents of Kula and Lahaina not to drink running water, which may be contaminated even after boiling. They've also been advised to only take short, lukewarm showers in well-ventilated rooms to avoid possible chemical vapour exposure.
Buildings were gutted by the blaze which ripped across parts of the island (AP)Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University engineering professor whose team assisted with the Camp Fire and Colorado's 2021 Marshall Fire, said showering in water potentially containing hazardous waste levels of benzene is not advisable and a do-not-use order would be appropriate until analysis is complete.
Lahaina resident Lana Vierra fled on Tuesday. On Friday she was filling out FEMA assistance forms at a relative's house, eager to return, despite knowing the home where she raised five children and treasures items like baby pictures and yearbooks were gone.
"To actually stand there on your burnt ground and get your wheels turning on how to move forward - I think it will give families that peace," she said.
Riley Curran said he fled his Front Street home after climbing up a neighbouring building to get a better look. He doubts county officials could have done more due to the speed at which the flames moved.
"It's not that people didn't do anything," he said. "The fire went from 0 to 100."
Mr Curran has seen horrendous wildfires before, having grown up in California. However, he said: "I've never seen one eat an entire town in four hours."
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