Wildfires that have devastated parts of Maui in Hawaii this week, destroying a historic town and forcing evacuations.The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the island chain, was partly to blame for strong winds that initially drove the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.
An updated damage assessment released overnight by Maui County put in stark relief the Lahaina Fire’s destructive power. More than 80 per cent of the 2,719 structures exposed to the fire were damaged or destroyed. The vast majority of affected structures were residential — leaving an estimated 4,500 people in need of shelter, according to the assessment posted on Facebook early Saturday and based on figures from FEMA and the Pacific Disaster Centre. The number of deaths resulting from the fires on the island has risen to 80, according to a statement by Maui County on Friday. The number of confirmed fatalities in the 9 pm announcement increased from the previous figure of 67. A fire that caused an evacuation in Kaanapali was completely extinguished by 8:30 pm.
“This area is an active police scene, and we need to preserve the dignity of lives lost and respect their surviving family,” the post said. Kula residents who have running water were warned on Friday by the Maui County water agency not to drink it and to take only short, lukewarm showers “in a well-ventilated room” to avoid exposure to possible chemical vapours.
Agency director John Stufflebean told The Associated Press that people in Kula and Lahaina should not even drink water after boiling it until further notice, as hundreds of pipes have been damaged by the wildfires.
MAUI COUNTY’S MAYOR CALLS WILDFIRE AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Friday he couldn’t comment on a report by the AP that the state’s emergency management records showed no indication that warning sirens sounded off before people were forced to flee. “I think this was an impossible situation,” Bissen told NBC’s Today show. “The fires came up so quickly and they spread so fast.” Meanwhile, the county said residents with identification and visitors with proof of hotel reservations could return to parts of Lahaina starting at noon Friday. They will not be allowed into a restricted area of the historic part of Lahaina. The county said in a statement that a curfew, intended to protect residences and property, will be in place starting tonight from 10 pm to 6 am.
