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.
This almost happened to Grand Lake Colorado in 2020 when the East Troublesome fire roared towards the town .
Here’s some more info on the nutty claims the low intellect types are pushing:
“….notice NO ONE has said what the cause of the fire was other than there was a fire.”
Yup, and not one journalist has the intellectual integrity to ask the pertinent questions.
Is the grass routinely just allowed to grow? Has it always been allowed to grow uncut, if not when did that change and why?
I know here in blue Seattle lots of government maintenance types were fired/early outed/quit due to the vax mandate, some agencies remain shorthanded. I wonder if the same is true in Hawaii?
Remember the Hawaii nuke scare in 2018? I wonder if that has made local officials extra cautious about sounding alarms for things like this.
It has worked in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, etc…. So why not? In addition to claiming land, mineral and water rights, they also get to declare Federal Emergency and receive slush fund $$$$. What’s not to like? Hey, we just burned your family alive? Heh. Collateral damage.
Was Pelletier Chief of Police in Vegas? I heard he was an Incident Commander the night of Mandalay Bay, but had not heard Chief.
Ha! I guessed Star Link. Not too far off with Elon’s SpaceX death-ray. ::::snicker::::
“Is the grass routinely just allowed to grow? Has it always been allowed to grow uncut, if not when did that change and why?”
Uh, we’re talking about wild grasses... Not native but growing wild ... we’re not talking about manicured lawns at Lake Union. You need to get out more.
The Chief actually misspoke in the Press Conference today saying Nevada instead of Hawaii...
Today’s Press Conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW_10UZiLn8
Drone footage of Lahaina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjcVXTpmtBs
In my town, they are paving the roads with “heat reflective” asphalt. When they’re done paving it, it’s worse than it was prior to paving. I’ve driven gravel roads in eastern North Carolina after a hurricane that are less of a washboard.
“climate change” code for “government failure”
The electric companies either turn the power off and get sued because people die from no warning because tv and cell towers are out or they leave it on to warn people and down lines start fires and they get sued.
Most TV/cell towers have battery backup that lasts for awhile.
HECO could be forced into bankruptcy by the damage from the fires
Hawaiian Electric Company is being sued along with Maui county. And like utilities in other fire areas, the damages could be more than the company is worth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEldq_oA9cg
I wonder if he would have okayed water to be used instead of revered if his house had been on fire.
Thank you. That answers many of my questions.
Conspiracy Theorists Go Viral With Claim Space Lasers Are To Blame For Hawaii Fires
Here is M. Kaleo Manuel, the Hawaii water official who refused to release water resources and let landowners fight the Maui fire, explaining his “philosophy” about water:
“Native Hawaiians treated water as one of the earthly manifestations of a god...We’ve become used to looking at water as something that we use, and not something that we revere...We can reconnect to that traditional value set.”
https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1692044616345014589
Oh my God.
Back before the feminists pushed women into the workplace this much not have happened. Moms would’ve been home protecting their kids.
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