Fires in Maui 2023: Death toll reaches 114 as emergency chief resigns amid criticism over sirens - The Independent

Fires in Maui 2023: Death toll reaches 114 as emergency chief resigns amid criticism over sirens | The Independent

Maui’s wildfires death toll reaches 114 as emergency chief resigns amid criticism over sirens – latest

Officials chose not to sound outdoor alarms in Lahaina believing they would not have helped wildfire evacuations

Ariana Baio,
Stuti Mishra Comments

At least 114 people have lost their lives in the devastating Maui wildfires as first responders continue searching for 1,000 missing in the fire-ravaged town.

The search to find and identify victims remains painstakingly slow — only 10 victims so far killed in the fires have been identified. Hawaii governor Josh Green estimates that 3,000 buildings and homes burned to the ground or were damaged and that losses are nearly $6bn.

The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency resigned on Thursday after officials came under increased scrutiny over the response to the devastating wildfires.

Herman Andaya submitted his resignation just one day after he defended his decision of not using outdoor alert sirens before the fires overwhelmed the historic community of Lahaina. Mr Andaya cited unspecified health reasons.

Residents are also reporting that investors and realtors are trying to capitalise on the wildfires to purchase land from locals.

“We’re not going to allow it,” Mr Green said.
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Immigrant workers' lives, livelihoods and documents in limbo after the Hawaii fire

Freddy Tomas was working in his yard in Lahaina when the fire advanced with stunning speed right up to his fence. He rushed to save valuables from a safe inside his house but realised he didn't have time and fled, his face blackened with soot.

Days after fleeing in his pickup truck, amid smoke so thick he could only follow the red taillights of the vehicle in front of him and pray they were going the right way, the retired hotel worker from the Philippines returned to his destroyed home with his son to look for the safe.

Tomas, 65, said it had contained passports, naturalisation papers, other important documents and $35,000.

After sifting through the ashes, father and son found the safe, but it had popped open in the fire, whipped by hurricane-force winds, and its contents were incinerated.

For immigrants like Tomas, Lahaina was an oasis, with nearly double the foreign-born population of the US mainland. Now, those workers are trying to piece their lives back together after the fire levelled the town.

Read more:

Immigrant workers’ lives, livelihoods and documents in limbo after the Hawaii fire

For foreign workers, Lahaina was an oasis
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Why officials did not sound outdoor alarms

On Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency website, it indicates that their outdoor siren system can be used for hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents and more.

Despite this, both Governor Josh Green and Maui County Emergency Management Agency administrator Herman Andaya say the siren would not have been useful if it was sounded before the fires.

Both Mr Green and Mr Andaya said the siren is advertised as being used almost exclusively for tsunamis – especially for beachside neighbourhoods and towns.

Mr Green said when he first moved to Hawaii he was always told, “If you hear a siren it’s a tsunami you go to high ground.”

That single-minded approach to the sirens has proven dangerous after the Maui wildfires. Mr Green said going forward they are going to find new ways to keep the public informed about incoming disasters.

“We’re performing a comprehensive review to find out what the safest and most effective, science-based way is to protect people,” Mr Green told reporters.
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What to donate to the people of Maui

State and local officials have given a list of donation priorities for the people of Maui, according to Hawaii News Now.

First and foremost, officials are asking people not to ship donated items to Hawaii unless they have a specific person who can be on the receiving end of it. If you have items to donate, use the Hawaii Community Foundation and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

In-demand donations include non-perishable foods, specifically protein and vegetables, water, water totes, outdoor sinks, wheelchairs and tents.

People are asking to not donate any more clothing as there is a surplus.
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WATCH: Hawaiian TV reporter reveals he's lost four family members in Lahaina wildfires
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Maui wildfire survivors face new threat from chemical contamination that could linger

Maui residents have been warned that wildfires burning since 8 August have contaminated water, air and soil and could pose health risks for months to come.

The deadly wildfires have claimed at least 99 lives, and destroyed an estimated 2,700 buildings around Lahaina containing hazardous household wastes, treated wood, paints and other toxic materials, officials said.

The Hawaiian Department of Health has warned that ash and dust from burned homes and businesses could contain deadly toxic chemicals such as asbestos, arsenic and lead.

They also advised residents to wear surgical masks such as N95s and goggles, gloves, and closed-toed shoes to avoid skin contact with ash.

They also warned people to avoid washing ash into drains or using vacuums that will stir up carcinogenic particles into the air.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla ‘utterly horrified’ by Hawaii wildfires in letter to Joe Biden

King Charles III has written a letter to US president Joe Biden saying he and Queen Camilla were “utterly horrified” to hear about the “catastrophic” wildfires in Hawaii.

The monarch and his wife sent their “deepest possible sympathy” to the families of people who have died in the blazes on the island of Maui.

Ted Hennessey reports:

King and Queen ‘utterly horrified’ by Hawaii wildfires in letter to Joe Biden

The royal couple sent their ‘deepest possible sympathy’ to the families of people who have died in the blazes
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ICYMI: Maui's emergency services chief resigns after facing criticism

The Hawaii power authority has responded to criticism over leaving power lines on amid strong winds.

One video showed a cable dangling in a charred patch of grass, surrounded by flames, in the early moments, leading to speculations of a downed line being a possible cause of the wildfire.

“Facts about this event will continue to evolve,” Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura wrote in an email to utility customers on Thursday, according to AP.

“And while we may not have answers for some time, we are committed, working with many others, to find out what happened as we continue to urgently focus on Maui’s restoration and rebuilding efforts.”
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Family finds charred remains of 15-year-old son inside the burned-t0-the-ground home

Twenty-year-old Jose Vargas also told CNN that his father found the charred remains of his 15-year-old adopted brother Keyiro in their home, which had burned to the ground. Keyiro died in his bedroom, clutching the family dog.

“We have a body,” Mr Vargas said he told authorities after wrapping Keyiro’s body in an aluminium blanket. “I’m sorry, mister officer, but I have the body of my brother.”

Read more:

Hawaii wildfires death toll rises to 114 as governor pledges to rebuild community

The tragedy is America’s deadliest wildfire in the last century
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Hawaii officials confirm more than 114 killed in wildfires

According to Gov Josh Green, 114 people have lost their lives in the devastating Maui wildfires.

The search to find and identify victims remains painstakingly slow — only 10 victims so far killed in the fires have been identified.

The Maui wildfire is the deadliest in America in the last 100 years.
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Pilot vacationing in Hawaii took day off to fly Maui visitors off island

Vince Eckelkamp, a line training manager at United Airlines from Denver, was wrapping up his vacation in Hawaii with his family when the fires began last week.

When his own flight got delayed then cancelled due to the fires, Mr Eckelkamp said he decided to step up to help out other pilots to fly visitors off the island in the middle of the crisis.

He told USA Today that he texted another pilot who was scheduled to fly out to ask if he needed help who accepted his offer.

Mr Eckelkamp flew the plane from Maui to San Francisco to get 330 people off the island in the midst of the disaster.

‘If I hadn’t stepped up, or if I wasn’t there [the flight would have been canelled],” Mr Eckelkamp told USA Today.

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to do the right thing.”