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.
Were kids SENT home, or were they AT home? It’s summer.
Maybe that hat is a good idea. It’s definitely suspicious. Convenient to have someone in office with experience in cover-ups.
“They may be incompetent “
I lived/worked on Maui. They are incompetent. And corrupt. If not for the haoles pulling the weight for everyone, nothing would be accomplished. At least that’s what I saw in the hospitality end of things.
“Is the grass routinely just allowed to grow? Has it always been allowed to grow uncut,”
I don’t think it was actual grass, but dead and dry vegetation from abandoned sugar cane fields. When I lived there it was protocol for the cane farmers to burn off the fields to maintain them. It happened all the time. CONTROLLED burns.
When they were abandoned nobody did any thing to do that. Already-burned cane fields might’ve acted as barriers and breaks for these fire.
I don’t know for sure - just my opinion based on what I saw there years ago.
I looked on Amazon. Just WOW and the one I saw was all about climate change. Certainly makes wonder about origin of the fires. I don’t believe in coincidence. This is disturbing and disgusting and terrifying on so many levels. Even if written by AI/chatGpt someone initiated it- using the event to push climate change agenda
The agenda is plugged into the template. We can only hope the books don’t become required reading for impressionable school children.
Every time I hear a child say something about climate change I could cry. They’re brainwashing them cradle to grave now
And authors name is Dr Miles Stones. Milestone???? Merriam Webster: milestone (noun): a significant point in development
So? The most important thing is that the elites get to buy their properties so that those peons no longer bother them.
No, they won’t find half the bodies.
BS on climate change. That dog don’t hunt. Too many weird coincidences.
This is the second time Oprah’s mansions were spared from fires that burned up her neighborhoods. The other being in CA.
Has anyone purchased the books? There's a sucker born every minute.
Climate change...
Or the smart meters...?
You know, the ones that weren’t UL listed.
From 2012...
https://spectrum.ieee.org/smart-meter-fire-reports
Turned off the water.
Sent kids home to be alone.
LE blocked the road out and turned residents back toward the fire.
Meeting to develop a smart town but couldn’t because of the historical buildings but now those building are destroyed.
The governor announcing the state will buy up the land.
Boats burning far from shore.
The elites’ mansions were spared.
Gibbs’ Rule #39 - There are no coincidences.
Adding - the town’s emergency fund had been $3 million for forever until this year when the smirky mayor bumped it to $40 million.
etc.
Every day we see there are no coincidences. What astounds me even more than powers that be, is all citizens that lap it up and blindly follow.
https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/08/naka-nathaniel-here-are-the-deeper-truths-about-maui/
I would like Hawaii to end being a US state, and return to it’s Kingdom. The US doesn’t need to be the protector for Asia, Japan, S. Korea. etc. All of that is VERY expensive. And the US is not yet beholden to a World Govt. that could force the US to “pay” for other’s well being around the globe.
So, I am for having 50 US states, and Puerto Rico can be the 50th state.
After the US pulls all of it’s military from Hawaii, Japan, and S. Korea, and the Philippines, etc. then those nations can deal with each other, and the elephant in their room -— China.
China may be a more ‘peaceful’ ruler over that part of the world than Imperial Japan would have been. The lessor of two evils???
But I really, most sincerely want Hawaii to have it’s Kingdom back, and whatever happens, happens. REALLY!!
People, get detailed maps of your town, county and surrounding counties. Not the run of the mill Rand McNally highway type but those showing all the little nothing back roads. These can be found at tourist centers or town hall or maybe the Chamber of Commerce. They will fit neatly in shoe boxes in your vehicles. Store them in each vehicle and at home. Drive different escape routes with the kids.
IMPORTANT - give your kids permission to disobey authority figures when their guts and common sense tell them to.
Why was smiling Puddin’ Head saying no comment at every turn until someone, days later, shoved a short speech under his nose to read for the cameras? He couldn’t think for himself enough to take two seconds to say how sad and prayers for the victims.
According to the Lahania school calendar, the first day of school was the day before the fire.
The kids were supposedly sent home due to the hurricane winds. Yes, there were winds but the hurricane was never closer than hundreds of miles. One would think the kids would be safer at school under adult supervision than home alone. Many were dismissed to walk home... in “unsafe” winds, yeah that makes sense. Did they even make it home? Were they hanging out with friends somewhere out in the trees and will never be found (not that there is anything left of bodies)? Were some trafficked... with this mess, who knows?
Fire happened on the 8th and one book listed on amazon on the 11th. Interestingly, the amazon bio on the author says this - “I’d rather not say.”
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