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.
Maybe the people who get paid to maintain the power grid should get out more and cut the grass. Sounds like from other replies that controlled burns and maintenance used to happen.
You need to get out more.
Hawaii wildfires stoke climate denial, conspiracy theories
Washington (AFP) – Climate change-denying social media accounts are exploiting the deadly wildfires in Hawaii to push conspiracy theories that high-energy lasers were used to spark the flames.
DAY AFTER FIRE FOOTAGE: 4K Drone Lahaina Maui Fire - Longest & Most Detailed Aerial View
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PSYNqZqAVs
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