At least six people were murdered and part of the vacation city Lahaina on Hawaii’s Maui Island was destroyed by wildfires exacerbated by winds from a faraway hurricane on Wednesday.
Many homes were destroyed by fire, and with just one highway operating, the western portion of the island was all but cut off. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser stated that approximately 271 structures were either damaged or destroyed.
Wildfire in Hawaii
Thousands of acres were burned during the fires, which broke out Tuesday night and torched areas of Hawaii’s Big Island. At least 16 highways were stopped, and at least 4,000 tourists were attempting to exit western Maui.
To get people off the island, airlines were slashing prices and providing waivers at the fully operational Maui airport. The U.S. Coast Guard had to rescue some persons who were forced to leap into the Pacific Ocean to escape the smoke and fire. At least 20 individuals with severe burns were flown to Oahu.
- Six killed, Lahaina destroyed by wildfires, hurricane winds.
- Hawaii fires burn thousands of acres, disrupt 16 highways, and disrupt tourists.
- Biden expresses sympathy, praises firefighters, and directs Federal resources.
Power outages and cellular network disruptions hindered evacuation efforts because only satellite communication was available for the west half of Maui.
As tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and other parts of Europe due to wildfires sparked by record-breaking heat, and western Canada experienced particularly catastrophic fires, the situation in Hawaii brought to mind images of tragedy elsewhere in the world this summer.
President Joe Biden sent a message of sympathy to the nation through the White House, praising the firefighters’ efforts and directing “all available Federal assets on the Islands to help with the response.”
The American Department of Transportation assisted in the evacuation process as the National Guard, US Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard were activated.
The National Weather Service stated the fires in Maui were sparked by a combination of dry vegetation, strong winds, and low humidity, however, the exact cause was yet unknown.
