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Hawaii braces for crushing wildfire death toll with estimated 1,300 missing
Axios ^ | 08/16/2023 | Jacob Knutson

Posted on 08/16/2023 6:19:09 PM PDT by Drew68

Over 1,000 people remain missing a week after Hawaii's historic wildfires, as state officials warn the death toll will continue to climb while search and recovery efforts continue.

Why it matters: The fire that razed most of the historic town of Lahaina on Maui last week is already one of the deadliest wildfires in modern U.S. history, but the full extent of its devastation may not be known for a long while.

The county has so far confirmed at least 106 fatalities from the fire. "This number will tragically go up," Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said on Tuesday in regard to the death toll. "There will not be any survivors in the area left," he told CBS News on Monday. "Our hearts will break beyond repair, perhaps, if that means that many more dead. None of us think that, but we're prepared for many tragic stories.

The big picture: Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said on Tuesday that rescuers who searched through the aftermath of 9/11 are now involved in the search in Lahaina, as well as 20 cadaver dogs.

"I want people to understand the reverence with which we're doing this," Pelletier said about the search effort. "It's not just ash on your clothing when you take it off. It's our loved ones. That's the reverence." Many of the same people who were involved in search and recovery efforts after California's Camp Fire have also traveled to Maui to help find and identify fire victims, the New York Times reports. "As of yesterday, in the evening, we had recovered 25% of the territory," he said in reference to search efforts in Lahaina. "So expect some heart-breaking stories." Green told CBS News that the number of people missing after the fires decreased from 2,000 to around 1,300 after cellphone reception was temporarily restored in parts of the state.

The Maui Police Department on Tuesday identified the first victims from the fires as Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79, both of whom were Lahaina residents.

Three others have been identified, but their names will not be released until their families are notified, police said. Maui County has encouraged people to provide DNA samples to help authorities identify other victims. The deaths from the Lahaina fire has surpassed the toll from the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people. In addition to the fatalities, the fire destroyed more than 2,200 structures in the town.

By the numbers: Maui County said the fire that tore through Lahaina had burned an estimated 2,170 acres and was 85% contained on Tuesday.

It said another estimated 678-acre fire on the western-facing slope of Maui was 75% contained, while two other fires on the island were fully contained. Several other fires ignited on the other Hawaiian islands last week, as well. The 2020 census estimated Lahaina's population was around 12,ooo at that time, though as a popular tourist destination, the number of people in the town fluctuates rapidly throughout the year.

The climate-change-related fires were fueled by grasses dried by elevated temperatures and drought conditions and extreme winds from Hurricane Dora, which was passing the state hundreds of miles to the southwest.

At least three lawsuits — including two seeking class-action status — have been filed against Hawaii's primary energy provider over the deadly fires. The lawsuits allege that the fires, the causes of which have not been officially confirmed, were ignited by strong winds or trees damaging Hawaiian Electric's energized power lines. A Washington Post investigation using security camera footage and sensor data indicates that the first reported fire on Maui likely started from a power line faulting, meaning it either contacted vegetation or another line or was knocked down.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Hawaii
KEYWORDS: lahaina; maui; wildfire
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To: yukong

chatGpt can write books ...


41 posted on 08/16/2023 7:04:40 PM PDT by bankwalker (Repeal the 19th ...)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“”””The chemtrails they have been poisoning us with for decades are full of metals that have saturated the plants and grass. The Maui fires burned so hot because of it that cars and houses burned almost completely to ash and the bodies are unrecognizable.””””

Fascinating post.


42 posted on 08/16/2023 7:05:33 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Where are the parents saying that their children are missing?


43 posted on 08/16/2023 7:05:47 PM PDT by jean michael
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To: Fury
the fires were started by a Directed Energy Weapon.

Is this an alien attack or earthly domestic, like Elon's Star Link?

44 posted on 08/16/2023 7:06:09 PM PDT by NautiNurse (🇺🇸 Selling out the U.S.A.: The Briben Brand™)
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To: oldasrocks
I'm going to take a wild guess that soon somebody in government will make a statement about not having enough local tax dollars to do any maintenance because so much of the available money goes into government employee pension funds, there's not enough left to perform basic services.

That's the explanation in my small town why potholes don't get repaired and streets don't get repaved. At least it makes the speedster slow down...

45 posted on 08/16/2023 7:07:59 PM PDT by Bernard ("No matter where you go, there you are." (Buckaroo Banzai))
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To: Drew68

Is this the place, where arsonists were seen?


46 posted on 08/16/2023 7:10:12 PM PDT by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. Father of USAF Captain & pilot. Both bitten by the aviation bug)
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To: ansel12
Fascinating post.

If by fascinating, you mean bat guano crazy, I agree.

47 posted on 08/16/2023 7:11:13 PM PDT by MD Expat in PA (No. I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV. The MD in my screen name stands for Maryland)
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To: NautiNurse

Thanks...I did not think of AI or Chat AI/Gpt


48 posted on 08/16/2023 7:11:53 PM PDT by yukong
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To: Drew68

During the Camp Fire, it was a smmiliar situation with the number of missing feared dead. It was a similar number IIRC—Fortunately, the number of dead did not reach those proportions

Ii am afraid the cause of the Maui Fire will be found similar to that of the Campfire. The speed of the Campfire precluded the warning system being enacrted. The fire just ran through the differen zones of evacuation until no notification could be done as the fire destroyed all modes of communication except for hand held radios.

Because here in Butte County we have the history of not only the Campfire, but other wildfires that have ripped through areas that blaming unseen forces wishing to burn out Lahaina to take advantage of the ensuing “Fire-Sale” is rediculous.

Granted, there are probably carpet baggers flying in to take advantage of the grief and loss—but they are not to blame for the fire/s..

The cause of the fire will ultimately be blamed on the local power company with no blame for the local government. (of course)


49 posted on 08/16/2023 7:11:54 PM PDT by abigkahuna (Honk Honk. It’s Clown World Out There. )
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To: Drew68

“The climate-change-related fires...”

Geez, and I thought the tranny-types were mentally ill.


50 posted on 08/16/2023 7:19:19 PM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute. )
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To: abigkahuna
The cause of the fire will ultimately be blamed on the local power company with no blame for the local government.

See post #12 for the blame conundrum.

51 posted on 08/16/2023 7:32:51 PM PDT by NautiNurse (🇺🇸 Selling out the U.S.A.: The Briben Brand™)
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To: Drew68

Why do I keep seeing this referred to as “wildfires”? I thought it was one fire caused by a downed power line that went out of control and burned down a resort and surrounding area. How did so many people die? Was it from bravado, ignorance, stupidity? I can’t imagine how so many people could be trapped on ground floors and not notice they might be in danger. Or am I missing some information?


52 posted on 08/16/2023 7:37:45 PM PDT by lefty-lie-spy (Stay Metal)
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To: MD Expat in PA

Let’s just say that I will be sharing his brilliant analysis with amused friends.


53 posted on 08/16/2023 7:38:10 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: libh8er

Technically, it was the state government, not the local, according to this report:

Hawaiian official M. Kaleo Manuel refused to release water in Maui as the fire raged

Manuel is deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources

Here he is explaining that water should be revered, not used:

https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1691909193656152465


54 posted on 08/16/2023 7:39:02 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Nero resurfaces


55 posted on 08/16/2023 7:41:18 PM PDT by combat_boots
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To: Drew68

Bookmark


56 posted on 08/16/2023 7:43:43 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog. )
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To: libh8er

The fire was so big and moving so fast being driven by 80 mph wind fighting it with ground based apparatus would have been suicide. The way to fight that fire was to drastically reduce the fuel loads beforehand. There was lots of overgrown vegetation and piled flammable junk in the area. The po co should have cut power too.


57 posted on 08/16/2023 7:45:30 PM PDT by VTenigma (Conspiracy theory is the new "spoiler alert")
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To: MinorityRepublican

“ But this is Hawaii. They may be incompetent just like the Russians. ”

Actually, they’re incompetent, just like Americans.


58 posted on 08/16/2023 7:51:10 PM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast (“We should not assume civilization is robust”)
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Power lines did fall in two places starting the fires.

Local people were on the news today explaining the power
lines that fell near the beach area. They set up their
own little fire brigade and saved a number of homes.

The fire department moved to another area from near them,
so they had no choice.

They were pretty creative getting large 400 gallon
containers and putting those on the back of a flat bed to
haul to fire scenes. They had pumps and fire hoses too.

Pretty ingenious.


59 posted on 08/16/2023 7:51:23 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the USofA & to the Constitutional REPUBLIC for which it stands.)
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To: Scott from the Left Coast
Actually, they’re incompetent, just like Americans.

Not true. We are quite industrious.

But of course all of that is changing now.

We are losing our identity so we are no longer exceptional.

Happened to the Romans too.

60 posted on 08/16/2023 7:53:51 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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