The latest
The death toll from the Maui wildfires has risen to 80, as crews continue to search for missing people. Some Lahaina residents were allowed to return to the wreckage of their homes for the first time this weekend, where they found charred, hollowed-out homes.
Here’s what we know so far:
A new flare-up led to the evacuation Kaanapali, a town north of Lahaina. Officials have since said that the blaze was 100% contained, and no further evacuations would be necessary.
The documented toll of the fires so far includes 2,207 structures that were damaged or destroyed, most of them residential buildings. Some 4,500 people have been displaced.
Officials are still working out where to house survivors and first responders, and are considering the island’s many hotels and resorts as options. In Honolulu, the mayor announced a moratorium on short-term rental restrictions, so property managers could rent to survivors.
The US representative Jill Tokuda of Hawaii told CNN on Saturday that the state “underestimated the lethality, the quickness of the fire”, as Hawaii’s attorney general begins reviewing why residents got little warning ahead of the blaze.
We are closing this blog, but will continue to bring updates on the Guardian’s home page and social media platforms.
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Cellphone service in parts of Maui is still spotty, with about 30 cell towers offline. Officials said outages could take weeks to restore.
Much of the island’s critical infrastructure, including power lines, water services and roads, could take a while to restore, officials said.
FEMA, Federal Family Unite to Support Hawaii Wildfire Response & Recovery.
— U.S. Fire (USFA) (@usfire) August 12, 2023
Federal assets from @FEMA, the @DeptofDefense, the @USCG, @USACEHQ, @HHSGov, as well as many others, have been helping responders since the wildfires began. ➡️ https://t.co/ive1vEhDe2#MauiFires pic.twitter.com/KJv6bNAbXW
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Multiple federal and local agencies have mobilized to aid in the rescue and relief efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has deployed more than 150 personnel, the agency said, with more on the way. The National Guard has activated 134 troops, including army and air national guard to help with firefighting. The army corps of engineers is helping assess damaged infrastructure, the US Department of Agriculture is helping with pet reunification as well as agricultural animal rescue, and the interior department is help assess damages to the historic landmarks in Lahaina.
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Why the Maui wildfires spread so devastatingly fast – video
The US actor Jason Momoa has urged tourists to avoid traveling to the parts of his home state of Hawaii that have been grappling with the devastation left behind by recent deadly wildfires.
“Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now,” the Aquaman film franchise star, who is from Honolulu, wrote on his Instagram on Friday. “Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply.”
Using Hawaiian terms that express gratitude and affection, respectively, Momoa added: “Mahalo to everyone who has donated and shown aloha to the community in this time of need.”
Rapidly moving wildfires on the island of Maui on Tuesday have killed dozens of people and destroyed the town of Lahaina, which is home to about 13,000 residents and served as Hawaii’s former capital before Honolulu replaced it in 1845. Fueled by winds associated with potent Hurricane Dora as the storm passed far to the south-west, the natural disaster is the deadliest to strike Hawaii in the state’s history, surpassing a 1960 tsunami that killed 60 people.
The death toll in Hawaii as of Saturday morning had reached 80, though officials warn that number could increase. At least 1,000 were still missing as of early Saturday.
Momoa has since been using his social media accounts to provide information about resources for those affected by the wildfires as well as soliciting donations in their benefit.
The 44-year-old actor moved to Iowa shortly after his birth in Honolulu as well as his parents’ divorce. He returned to the city where he was born to attend the University of Hawaii.
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Honolulu has suspended its restrictions on short term rentals to accommodate Maui wildfire survivors.
The city had mandated 30-day minimums on vacation rentals, to stem gentrification and the displacement of locals. But Mayor Rick Blangiardi said the mandate will be lifted for a month to help the displaced find emergency housing.
“We hope that this will provide some relief for any of our displaced neighbors who are in need of a safe place to stay during these trying times,” he said in a press release.
Blangiardi encouraged property managers to provide free or discounted accommodation for survivors.
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Residents of Lahaina are returning to an unrecognizable town, devastated by the fire.
Homes were reduced to gray dust, and streets lined with the blackened husks of cars.
The only item that Summer and Gilles Gerling were able to retrieve from the ruins of their home were a piggy bank and their daughter’s jade bracelet, as well as the watches they gifted each other for their wedding. Their wedding rings were gone, they told the AP.
“Safety was the main concern. These are all material things,” Gilles Gerling said.
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More than 80% of the more than 2,700 structures that were exposed to fire in Lahaina were damaged or destroyed, Maui county officials said.
An estimated 4,500 people are in need of shelter, based on figures from Fema and the Pacific Disaster Center, according to the AP.
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A growing threat of wildfire in Hawaii
Long before fast-moving flames descended on the historic town of Lahaina, the growing threats of catastrophic fire in western Maui were clear.
Acres of abandoned farmland that line the picturesque coastal communities played perfect host to invasive grasses that are primed to burn, creating tinderbox conditions as the island’s landscapes dried and warmed.
Devastating blazes, once a rarity across Hawaii, are increasing in furiousness and scale, driving a 400% increase in average area burned across the archipelago in the last century. The growing threat has outpaced preparedness measures and the resources available to fight them.
This week’s tragedy, expected to be one of the deadliest fire disasters to hit the island chain, marks a grim milestone in an escalating issue. As crews continue to try to contain the flames and assess the devastating toll the fires have taken on lives and livelihoods, experts are expecting a long recovery – and warning of a fiery future.
“That is one of the devastating parts here – we knew this could happen,” said Andrea Barretto, the co-executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, a non-profit dedicated to prevention and recovery. “The reality of our fire risk is we are just now catching up to it.”
The organization released a preparedness plan for west Maui communities roughly a decade ago, and Maui county listed Lahaina and other nearby communities at risk of wildfire damage in its hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020. The threats have only increased in recent years, according to Barretto, who added that limited resources have further stifled preparedness efforts as conditions intensified.
“They are doing the very best considering the limitations and challenges they are experiencing,” she said of the fire crews who are spread thin. “We haven’t had a lot of experience with these devastating fires,” Barerro added. “You can have a plan on paper, but it doesn’t mean it is going to turn into effective implementation unless you have practiced it.”
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Residents of Lahaina were allowed to access their destroyed town on Friday afternoon once officials had secured heavily impacted areas.
County officials said people who could prove residence were allowed in as well as visitors with evidence of hotel reservations.
People were told there is no unauthorized public access beyond barricaded sections and a 10pm to 6am curfew. West Maui remained without water and power and search efforts were continuing on Friday, the county said.
One zone remained restricted with no access due to continuing hazardous conditions.
Hawaii resident Ella Tacderan spoke to the Guardian about her experience of the devastation in Maui where her family home once stood.
“A nightmare” scene, Tacderan said:
A pet rabbit can be seen being rescued from the fires in Maui as the Maui Humane Society faces capacity issues following the fires.
User @LorenzoTheCat reports that the rabbit has been dropped off at the Maui Humane Society in hopes of being reunited with its owners.
Pet bunny rescued from the Maui fires. Its whiskers and fur are singed but its fine and is now at the Maui Humane Society hoping to be reunited with its owners. pic.twitter.com/Q1maaWaRJJ
— Lorenzo The Cat (@LorenzoTheCat) August 12, 2023
The Maui Humane Society has asked residents to help foster pets, as they need to make more space for additional animals being brought in.
It also urged residents to drop off dry and wet pet food, litter and pop-up kennels.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP
— Maui Humane Society (@mauihumane) August 9, 2023
1) SOS Foster-We need to get animals OUT of the shelter to make space!
2) Drop off pet supplies (Food, litter and pop-up kennels)-These will be handed out to the community
3) Donate-so we can continue to perform lifesaving medical procedures #hurricanedora pic.twitter.com/wTqsCasC18
Here are some images coming through the newswires of the fires in Maui:
A woman cradles her cat after finding him in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 11, 2023. Photograph: Moses Slovatizki/AFP/Getty Images
The Pacific Disaster Center and Fema have put together a graphic showcasing the damage assessment of the Lahaina fire.
The damage (as of Friday) includes:
2,719 structures exposed
2,170 acres burned
2,207 structures damaged or destroyed
86% of residential building exposure
Needs include:
4,500 sheltered population
9,000 “meals ready to eat” per day
3,560 gallons of water per day
450 25-gallon waste bins
51,700 square feet of shelter
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The renowned celebrity chef and restauranteur José Andrés announced that his non-profit organization World Central Kitchen has been providing meals to residents in and round Lahaina following the devastating wildfires.
The situation on Maui is devastating..Last night @WCKitchen teams brought hot meals, fresh sandwiches made by local restaurants, water &fruit to families in and around Lahaina . Today WCK teams are setting up again with thousands of meals for people in need🙏 #ChefsForHawaii pic.twitter.com/KkWBw1O55G
— José Andrés 🇺🇸🇪🇸🇺🇦 (@chefjoseandres) August 11, 2023
Andrés announced that WCK teams are setting up again for thousands of meals for people in need across the island.
WCK crew has also brought food including sandwiches and fruit to first responders that are currently fighting the fires.
First responders on the Big Island have been working grueling shifts to put out brush fires fueled by recent severe weather. WCK teams brought sandwiches & fresh fruit to the North Kohala Fire Station to ensure the firefighters got nourishing meals on their break. #ChefsForHawaii pic.twitter.com/DlzaMlO2t7
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) August 11, 2023
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The disaster in Maui is one of the deadliest US wildfires in recent years. The fast-moving fires, fanned by the winds of a distant hurricane, exploded overnight and moved so quickly that some residents jumped into the ocean to escape the flames and smoke.
Our Guardian video editors have put together this video report on why the fires spread so fast:
Hawaii congresswoman says state underestimated lethality of wildfires
The US representative Jill Tokuda of Hawaii told CNN on Saturday that Hawaii “underestimated the lethality, the quickness of the fire”.
She added that although emergency alerts are sent to cell phones, there was no cellphone coverage in the area at the time of the fires.
“It’s not like hurricane force winds are unknown to Hawaii, or dry brush, or red flag conditions. We saw this before in [Hurricane] Lane. We did not learn our lesson from Lane [in 2018] – that brush fires could erupt as a result of churning hurricane winds below us to the south … We have got to make sure that we do better,” Tokuda told CNN, referring to the 2018 hurricane that hit Hawaii, causing devastating brush fires on Maui and Oahu.
Tokuda went on to urge lawmakers to respond swiftly to the rebuilding process, saying:
“We need to be there to help them as they rebuild back. It’s going to take years, generations.”
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The devastating fires in Hawaii, where scores of people have died after a conflagration that engulfed the historic town of Lahaina, were worsened by a number of factors including climate change, scientists have said.
Rising global temperatures and drought have helped turn parts of Hawaii into a tinderbox ahead of one of the deadliest fires in modern US history, with these conditions worsened by strong winds from a nearby cyclone.
Katharine Hayhoe, the chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy, said that global heating is causing vegetation to dry out, priming it as fuel for an outbreak of fire. “Climate change doesn’t usually start the fires; but it intensifies them, increasing the area they burn and making them much more dangerous,” Hayhoe tweeted.
Click here for the full story:
The Guardian’s Maanvi Singh and Andrew Witherspoon have put together this visual guide to the explosive blaze that razed Lahaina:
Good morning, Maui wildfires blog readers.
Rescuers in Lahaina are continuing to comb through debris and smoky ruins as the death toll has risen to at least 80.
Meanwhile, at least 1,000 people have been reported missing following the fires, which have become the deadliest disaster in Hawaii’s history.
The Maui police department said that the new fire was burning in Kaanapali in West Maui, north-east of the area that burned earlier this week.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it will cost around $5.52bn to rebuild Maui following the devastating wildfires which have burned over 1,000 homes and left thousands of Hawaiians homeless.
We will be bringing you the latest updates so stay tuned.
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