The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life.
Officials updated the toll to 93 late Saturday, but warned the figure was likely to rise as recovery crews with cadaver dogs continued the grim task of searching burned out homes and vehicles in the epicenter of Lahaina.
The historic coastal town on the island of Maui was almost completely destroyed by the fast-moving inferno early Wednesday morning, with survivors saying there had been no warnings.
When asked Sunday why none of the island's sirens had been activated, Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said she would wait for the results of an investigation announced by the state's attorney general.
"I'm not going to make any excuses for this tragedy," Hirono, a Democrat, told CNN's "State of the Union."
"We are really focused, as far as I'm concerned, on the need for rescue, and, sadly, the location of more bodies."
More than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed as the fire tore through Lahaina, according to official estimates, wreaking $5.5 billion in damage and leaving thousands homeless.
"The remains we're finding are from a fire that melted metal," said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. "When we pick up the remains... they fall apart."
Among the ruins in Lahaina, a town of more than 12,000 and former home of the Hawaiian royal family, an iconic, 150-year-old banyan tree remained standing but severely burned, AFP journalists saw.
President Joe Biden said on Sunday he was "looking at" the possibility of visiting the island.
The wildfire is the deadliest in the United States since 1918, when 453 people died in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the non-profit research group the National Fire Protection Association.
The death toll surpassed 2018's Camp Fire in California, which virtually wiped the small town of Paradise off the map and killed 86 people.
Maui suffered numerous power outages during the crisis, preventing many residents from receiving emergency alerts on their cell phones.
No emergency sirens were sounded, and many Lahaina residents have spoken of learning about the blaze because of neighbors running down the street.
"The mountain behind us caught on fire and nobody told us jack," resident Vilma Reed, 63, told AFP. "You know when we found that there was a fire? When it was across the street from us."
Reed, whose house was destroyed by the blaze, said she was depending on handouts and the kindness of strangers, while sleeping in a car with her daughter, grandson and two cats.
In its emergency management plan last year, the State of Hawaii described the risk wildfires posed to people as being "low".
Some residents who fled the flames have also expressed anger at a roadblock put up preventing them from returning to their homes.
Maui police said members of the public would not be allowed into Lahaina while safety assessments and searches were ongoing -- even some of those who could prove they lived there.
Some residents waited for hours hoping to be allowed in to comb through the ashes or look for missing pets or loved ones.
When asked about growing anger at the response, Hirono told CNN she understood the frustration because "we are in a period of shock and loss."
Maui's fires follow other extreme weather events in North America this summer, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the U.S. southwest.
Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more likely and more deadly.
© 2023 AFP
31 Comments
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Rodney
I read that firefighters were not protecting the town but were elsewhere
buua
Rodney, where did you read that?
virusrex
Extreme events are going to be more and more common and intense thanks to human activity derived climate change, this tragedy put into the spotlight why it is absolutely necessary for authorities to clearly understand this and plan accordingly, countless deaths could have been prevented in Maui if the people responsible for the safety of the population were at least aware things could go out of control easily and quickly.
Unfortunately there are still people that repeatedly try to convince others to stay in denial of the higher risks and will not give importance (nor take responsibility) when that denial ends up putting those people at risk.
Snuggles
Unfortunately these poor people were helpless against the force of nature, but the response by the authorities is something to be investigated, and actually controlled.
sunfunbun
Hoping all the disinformation types don't go spewing more fallacious wrongs. 'hope'.
Something went wrong if there was no siren. No warnings. There will be an investigation and when we hear the results, there will be more controversy and conspiracy theory types will say it is a cover up. It's predictable because of cherry picking and narratives go round in circles.
people should just wait before speaking of things that make no sense, and must have heard from some narrative laden network to say something one sided as silly as firefighters were elsewhere, as if no one cared in Hawaii to try and alleviate a horrible situation. Those accusations are part of the denial and anger toward something that has nothing to do with actual issue of the fire. There is no need to blame anyone, at this point.
There is still a lot of rubble work being done as a priority, as it should be. It's such a tragedy, we don't need false information and truthers being disingenuous.
wallace
FEMA on Hawaii
https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230812/fema-federal-family-unite-support-hawaii-wildfire-response-recovery
gcFd1
It's unknown what started these fires, but it is known that the high winds from the naturally occurring hurricane were a contributing factor to the fire's intensity,
winston
Please focus more on your public safety alert systems and the two other fires that are still burning also
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
A tunnel vision focus isn't appropriate at this time
winston
People talk
Regardless of what People say 99% of wildfires are caused by humans and nobody can deny the Hawaiian early warning public safety system isn't the best in the world as it was touted
What's more important is that this type of situation cannot happen again.
Rodney
internet, France 24, Aljazerra, sky, ABC, uk newspapers, American tv channels on YouTube, and more.
now locals are very angry.
Yubaru
Links..... without them, it's unnecessary and unwanted hearsay.
rdemers
If it was slow moving lava heading their way, there'd be sirens, lots of sirens. These were needless horrific deaths by smoke and flames...
Rodney
you don’t have internet? I understand that Okinawa has a typhoon so I like your comments and I hope that you’re OK.
winston
But isn't it 99% a human made fire ?
And aren't humans greatly contributing to global warming ?
And aren't the humans themselves responsible for an effective early warning public safety and fire mitigating strategy and response capabilities.
Lets not blame it on mother nature anymore.
winston
As usual
virusrex
Scientist have already proved both things beyond any reasonable doubt, this is easy to prove the moment everybody that says otherwise is completely unable to provide any reference where a scientific institution contradicts this conclusion.
Again, yes it is, nameless people on the internet claiming all the scientists of the world are wrong are not an argument against it.
Winds potentiated by climate change, acting on dry vegetation under low humidity because of the same reason is not "mother nature" at all.
Redemption
This is a huge and terrible wake up call. Whatever the cause, severe weather related disasters are here and at the very least we need to be prepared for such fires.
Ah_so
The data show that there is global warming. What isn't entirely certain, is whether humans are contributing to it.
However, the balance of evidence suggests that it is very likely that humans are at least in part, responsible for it. Or to put it another way, it would be very surprising if humans weren't contributing to it, based on what we know about how climates work.
If sceptics are right there are clearly benefits to doing nothing about it. If the majority of scientists are right, the consequences of not doing anything are catastrophic.
Assuming that climate change is partly man-made seems like the best policy. Like an insurance policy.
Yrral
Wallace, FEMA has not compensated the people of New Mexico,that the US Forest Service started,one thing I say Hirono,she will give Biden hell,if he do fly out too Hawaii,ask her Republicans Senate members
winston
There's no if !
Global warming is a fact
The glaciers are melting and the sea rising
Not only is the sun getting larger and hotter and closer to earth but also the earth's poles are shifting.
Global warming is a natural cycle and yes we humans and animals are contributing to it
Correct
winston
Iam sad to read the news Hawaiians are angry at the tourists .
This tragedy affects the whole nation and it isn't just about Hawaiians and it wasn't only Hawaiians that perished and are suffering because of it.
The responsibilities of early warning for the public and fire safety mitigation isn't the responsibilities of tourists or non Hawaiians
Most of Hawaiians income comes from tourism
They need to take responsibilities for thier own incompetence.
u_s__reamer
That original sin of human complacency, like, "it can't happen here", "it only happens to others and won't affect me/us", was no doubt the starting point of the chain-reaction of events that cost so many people their lives. The changing weather on our planet is just another reason to be afraid, very afraid: by the year 2050 it has been estimated there may be 100,000,000 climate refugees. Perhaps I'm lucky that I won't be around to witness the future inferno that threatens mankind and the biodiversity of our world.
winston
The comment actor Jason Momoa made on national news about peoples presence not being requested aka stay away i found to be truly disgusting and prejudice.
During difficult times we should all learn to support each other no matter what nationality creed or ethnic diversity we come from
After all Aloha is supposed to represent unconditional love and acceptance
wallace
Some people said they were happy there was no siren alarm which would have caused mass panic.
The governor is asking tourists to stay away and not put a strain on resources.
I have not read Hawaiians are angry with tourists.
virusrex
Why disgusting? the tragedy is still ongoing and people can get in the way even if they have the best intentions, consuming resources that would be much more productive when used by professionals that would be a much bigger help at the time.
Being in the zone of a disaster do not automatically means being helpful, there are many other ways to actually support the victims that is much more efficient, and if there is a point where being there becomes something positive only then it is justified to visit the place.
winston
Really ?
I haven't read that.
I think it would be better to panic and run away that to stay and get burned.
Yep i read it on multiple other news sites
If a disaster happens on the continental USA should we tell all the Hawaiians and Pacific islanders to stay away and be angry at them ?
Seems like a massively unfair double standard and not at all what the American dream is all about or even remotely a form of Aloha.
I was so sad to see so much anger from Hawaiians and Pacific islanders anywhere in the world .
Mongolia even has a big problem with it.
winston
What concerns me is with this agressive anger towards tourists could generate more fires in retaliation
Not good
virusrex
This is not aggressive anger toward tourist but about keeping a disaster zone clear and respecting the feelings of those that lost all their possessions and family members there.
This is just common sense, if a tragedy happened elsewhere people going to the site to take smiling pictures and enjoy themselves time would not be well received by the survivors. Unfortunately there will be always people inconsiderate enough to do precisely that because of complete lack of empathy, but for most it would be completely natural to cancel a recreation trip to a disaster zone.
winston
No news or u-tube or anything talks about the non Hawaiians living there receiving assistance.
Only the Hawaiians talking about Hawaiians
Yes of course Rex
But the way the Hawaiians are reacting and their choice of words is very innapropriate
It's not an excuse to be angry and hateful towards non Pacific islanders
winston
No but it is !
Anger at tourists swimming or surfing in the ocean .
Because the Hawaiians are grieving.
virusrex
No, it is not, asking people to stop making fun trips to the site of the disaster is not inappropriate, to make those trips on the first place is what is inappropriate. Is like taking tours to the ruins of the WTC while people were still working to take out bodies.
Being against this completely inappropriate behavior is not the same as being hateful, is just recognizing that some people are deeply egotistical and unable to understand how bad is their behavior.
No it is not, nobody is complaining about tourists going and swimming in the Ocean anywhere else, just in the site of the disaster, while bodies are still being recovered around them.