The historic port of Lahaina Town in west Maui continues to smolder after catastrophic wildfires tore across the Hawaiian island overnight on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
The death toll stood at 55 by Friday morning, with at least 24 injured. Witnesses say those numbers are sure to climb in the coming days.
As many as 1,000 are unaccounted for, explained Maui Police Department Chief John Pelletier during a Thursday night briefing.
He asked for patience.
“We don’t know how many are dead, but Lahaina Town is sacred ground right now,” Mr. Pelltier said. “We need to respect the fact that loved ones are in this earth, and retrieving them safely will take time.”
Chaos and Disaster
The disaster began when high winds from Hurricane Dora combined with dry conditions from an ongoing drought to fan flames across the island.
As the fire descended on Lahaina, the evacuation was “chaotic.” The fire moved rapidly and changed directions ahead of 80 mph gusts, Maui County Communications Director Mahina Martin said in a statement to the media.
Those trapped in Lahaina retreated to the ocean to escape the flames, she explained. The U.S. Coast Guard reports rescuing 14.
Roads were blocked by abandoned vehicles as traffic choked the narrow road out of town.
By Wednesday morning, hundreds of homes and businesses had burned to the ground. More than 10,000 residents were left without power or without a home. Nearly 100 boats moored in the marina were lost. Emergency shelters were quickly filled to capacity. Thousands of tourists began to evacuate.
Timeline of Tragedy
Fires began in the early morning hours in multiple locations around the island as well as on the Big Island. The source of ignition is still under investigation.Hawaii declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Hawaii, paving the way for federal aid to help the islands cope with the devastating aftermath of the wildfires.
“The Lahaina fire is now 80 percent contained, but none of the fires are 100 percent contained, reported Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura during Thursday’s briefing. “We’ve had many small fires between these large fires and still have the potential for rapid fire behavior.”
Many areas are still unsafe with telephone poles, branches and trees still falling, he cautioned.
“Those whose homes are not damaged are still waiting to return to those homes,” added Maui Mayor Richard Bissen. “They can do so after we find the injured and those who have perished.”
Meanwhile, thousands remain without power and water. Internet and phone service is experiencing widespread outages.
Search and rescue operations continue in earnest.
“We’re still fighting fires and saving lives, but soon we’ll be in the recovery and rebuilding phase,” explained Mr. Bissen.
Governor Seeks Shelter
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green described Lahaina as “total devastation” after a Thursday morning tour of the scene.The loss of life is still to be determined.
Mr. Green said he expects the death toll to “go up significantly.”
“All of us will know someone who lost a house or lost a loved one,” Mr. Green said.
More than 270 structures in Lahaina—once the royal capital of Hawaii and the burial place of Hawaiian monarchs—are thought to be a complete loss.
The fires represent the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii since a tsunami killed 61 in 1960 on the Big Island, he said.
“Buildings that have stood since the 1700s are completely destroyed,” Mr. Green said in a statement to the media.
The governor and his team are working with local hotels to provide temporary accommodations for residents who are displaced.
“We’re going to need to house thousands of people,” he continued. “We are seeking 2,000 rooms.”
The island was already suffering from a severe shortage of housing and was under an emergency order for homelessness, he explained. Mr. Green hopes that will give his team a head start.
He is asking owners of properties that have an accessory dwelling unit and people with Airbnb’s to make housing available.
Mass Exodus
Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii evacuated more than 4,000 tourists to Oahu on Wednesday, where they sheltered in the Hawaii Convention Center.The iconic Roberts Hawaii Motor Coaches, which provide tour services on the island, were dispatched to transport visitors from west Maui to Kahului airport to evacuate.
An estimated 1,400 people sheltered overnight in the airport Wednesday while waiting for departing flights. Airlines have added additional flights and reduced airfare for the ongoing evacuation.
Officials are asking visitors not to come to Maui. They are also asking those who are visiting to leave immediately if they haven’t already done so.
FEMA is on the ground and U.S. military resources are being deployed.
Search and rescue and recovery operations continue.
