On Aug. 8, 2023, a wildfire swept through the coastal town of Lahaina in West Maui, Hawaii, killing more than 110 residents, and destroying more than 2000 buildings throughout the town. The grim task of retrieving the victims’ remains continues as Hawaii’s second-largest island braces for the names of the deceased and the many funerals to follow. “Heartbroken,” is the word many use to describe their emotions. The once idyllic island will grieve for years to come, others say. Most residents just want answers and clarity from local officials as to why the destruction was so deadly—and widespread. The following photos provide a glimpse of the tragedy’s aftermath, including the ongoing relief effort.
A military helicopter prepares to dump a bucket full of water on lingering hotspots from the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire disaster. Photo taken on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Army National Guard members man the entrance to a prohibited location in Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Lahaina Town as it appears from a distant beachfront on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Captain Spencer Erwin of the Lani Kai II navigates the waters off the shore of Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Relief volunteers handle a package in Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A volunteer sits on the deck of the Lani Kai II, a commercial boat used to deliver vital supplies for the displaced survivors of the Lahaina wildfire disaster, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Lahaina residents watch relief efforts from the rooftop of an evacuated building on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A burnt out development in Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A scene from Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A part of Lahaina shows the damage caused by the wildfire. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Burnt vehicles in Lahaina, West Maui, on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A relief volunteer on board a zodiac passes a child's stroller in West Maui on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A volunteer takes a break on the beach in Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Relief captain Larry Doty of the Lani Lai II disaster relief boat watches the effort on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Smoke from the Lahaina wildfire disaster lingers in the rays of an afternoon sun on Aug. 11, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Volunteers work with donated supplies at Buzz's Wharf in Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Organizing donated supplies in Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Captain Spencer Erwin of the Lani Kai II gives instructions to volunteers on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Volunteers stock donated supplies aboard the Lani Kai II in Lahaina, Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Police cordon off an access road at Buzz's Wharf in Lahaina, West Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Pastor Van Michael Komatsu of the Kihei Baptist Chapel on Maui delivers a sermon to the grieving survivors of the Lahaina wildfire disaster on Aug. 13, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times).
Robert Towle, a rancher from New Mexico, traveled to Maui to assist his company with water and wastewater management in the aftermath of the Lahaina wildfire disaster. Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A charred parcel of land on Route 30 heading into Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
Sarah Turner of West Maui loads containers filled with gasoline in Lahaina Town on Aug. 16, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
A zodiac delivers a cargo of donated supplies off the shores of Lahaina, West Maui, on Aug. 12, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)
