Government officials in Hawaii have reported that the Lahaina Wildfire has killed at least 36 individuals and that it is still burning.
Numerous businesses in the historic town of Lahaina have been damaged by wildfires that were sparked by hurricane Dora’s high winds, injuring many more. For three fires, there have been thirteen emergency evacuations.
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On Wednesday afternoon, August 9, 2024, a massive wildfire ravaged the town of Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii. Adults and children had to jump into the ocean waters for protection as flames erupted day and night.
Hurricane Dora Causing Mayhem
Even after it passed hundreds of miles to the south in the open Pacific Ocean, major hurricane Dora will continue to affect Hawaii into early Thursday, bringing heavy surf and strong gusts to the islands.
On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS), Dora was a potent Category 4 hurricane with highest sustained winds of 145 mph and wind gusts of up to 170 mph. With only Typhoons Mawar and Khanun stronger than it, Hurricane Dora is now the third-strongest storm to make landfall in the Pacific Ocean during the current season.
In Hawaii, the average area burned by wildfires has increased by 400 percent over the past century, in part because of climate change and the influx of non-native species of grasses and plants that act as fuel for the fires.
Coastal Lahaina’s aerial footage shows scores of properties, dozens and dozens of houses and local shacks destroyed, including on Front Street, a popular destination for tourists to eat and shop. The harbour was full of burnt boats, and enormous stacks of burning debris surrounding the leafless skeletons of scorched trees.
As the winds began to quiet down, some aircraft took to the skies once more, giving pilots a clear view of the entire scope of the damage.
According to the National Weather Service, the winds made it difficult for firefighters to contain the fire and spread embers to new locations. The island was also experiencing drought, which made the flora around the island susceptible to a wildfire.
Mayor’s Explanation On The Lahaina Wildfire
Richard Bissen Jr., the county mayor, said he was still looking into the six deaths to determine how and where they occurred. He said that all local authorities are in “search and rescue mode”.
Additionally, Governor Josh Green stated that he anticipated some fatalities as a result of the fire. Many persons were rushed to hospitals in Maui or Oahu after suffering burning or smoke inhalation injuries.
A Maui county statement read, “As the firefighting efforts continue, 36 total fatalities have been discovered amid the raging Lahaina fire.” “At present, no additional information is forthcoming.”
Mayor Bissen had reported previously of six deaths on Wednesday but now the death toll has reached up to 36 people.
Mayor Bissen has released a press statement, giving the people of Maui and everyone around the world updates on the same.
At Kahului Airport, which held 2,000 stranded travellers when their flights were cancelled or pushed back, over 2,100 persons who were affected by the fire sought safety.
14 persons were saved by the Hawaiian Coast Guard as they dived into the water to avoid the fire and smoke.
Some locals have called the situation “apocalyptic” and stated they had to evacuate their elderly relatives from their homes as inhaling smoke from fire could be really dangerous to their health.
