Wildfires in Maui
Photo Credit: Philip Cheung/New York Times
On Aug. 7-8, a wildfire burned down parts of Maui and the historical town of Lahaina. It was considered to be the largest fire in the United States in the past century, and led to 97 confirmed deaths and 31 missing people, The Washington Post reports.
The fire destroyed all of Lahaina, stripped residents of shelter, and resulted in both tourist and local casualties. The debris and aftermath of the fire left lasting damages and toxins in the Maui ecosystem, leading to drastically altered water quality in surrounding areas, according to environmental experts.
Over 2,500 acres of land were scorched. The damage spanned over two major areas of Maui: Kula, which stretches across the Maui “upcountry,” and the town of Lahaina. The roughly 20,000 residents of the respective districts were displaced from their towns and removed from their homes — many of which had burned down.
Survivors recalled that the warning sirens, which were supposed to sound during natural disasters, failed to do so. The Maui Emergency Management Agency argued that the sirens normally sounded only for tsunamis and hurricanes.
Fortune reported that, though Hawaiian Electric has admitted to playing a part in starting the fire, the electric services company noted that the Maui firefighters had been too quick to declare the fire contained.
This statement comes after Hurricane Dora’s high winds caused the company’s power lines to fall and break down, starting the fire, before it was fanned into larger flames. ENRCalifornia reported that, as of Aug. 23, seven lawsuits have been filed against Hawaiian Electric for at least partial responsibility for the fire.
According to CBS News, Lahaina residents were expected to return back to their homes on Sept. 25 to assess the damage created by the fire.
In light of recent events, the White House has begun planning for the rebuilding of Maui. On Aug. 30, US president Joe Biden pledged to send USD $95 million to Maui to strengthen its power grids. Moody’s RMS, a catastrophe management firm, estimated that the rebuilding of Maui would cost upwards of USD $6 billion.
Photo Credit: Max Whittaker/New York Times
Maui communities have come together in hopes of healing and recovering from the tragedies. Their efforts include gathering together to perform rituals and vigils for spiritual and emotional healing, as well as to organize events related to Hawaiian culture and hobbies in order to promote unity and peace.
The Washington Post reported the story of former pro surfer Jud Lau organizing a “surf day” for children affected by the fires. Lau understood that surfing is a large part of the Hawaiian identity and strived to use it as an entity for healing. He wanted to “replenish the souls of fellow Hawaiians.”
“Your surfboard is like part of your soul,” Lau affirmed.
On Oct. 8, the state reopened West Maui to tourism, despite petitions across the area opposing this decision. Just days prior, Lahaina resident Paele Kiakona expressed in a news conference that West Maui residents should receive more time to grieve and heal. “Our grief is still too fresh and our loss is too profound.”