Maui and Hawaii Wildfires: Devastating Flames, Evacuations, and Tragedy

2023-08-10 03:00:00

Survivors jumping into the water to escape the flames, others surrounded by fire… The islands of Maui and Hawaii have been ravaged by wildfires of incredible violence, killing at least six people and forcing the evacuation of thousands of inhabitants.

• Read also: Fires in Hawaii: at least six dead, according to the mayor of Maui

• Read also: Fires in Hawaii: Biden announces deploying all available federal means on the archipelago

“I cannot reach any of my family members. I still don’t know where my little brother and my stepfather are. Everybody I know, their house burned down,” Tiare Lawrence told Hawaii News Now on Wednesday.

This aerial photo shows the impressive extent of the damage in the town of Lahaina, on the island of Maui, where at least 50 houses can be counted obliterated by the flames. Photo: AFP

The city of Lahaina on the island of Maui, where he lives, is the city most affected by the fires, amplified by the powerful winds of Hurricane Dora. This small municipality of regarding 1,200 inhabitants has been completely wiped off the map.

Wildfire has engulfed businesses on Front Street in downtown Lahaina in West Maui, home to 12,000 people.

The Coast Guard is responding to people who were forced to go into the ocean due to the flames.

Video credit to Alan Dickar, a local resident of Lahaina. pic.twitter.com/8uiyHQP55B

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) August 9, 2023

Mr Lawrence compared this tragedy to the apocalypse, with people forced to flee the burning island to save their lives.

His cousin, Dustin Kaleiopu, said he noticed smoke outside his residence Tuesday night. A few hours later, there was nothing left of his house.

“Everything we knew is gone. Our church, our schools, every memory we had in this house. Everything disappeared in the blink of an eye,” Mr. Kaleiopu said.

Surrounded by flames

Fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, which is currently passing through the Pacific Ocean, the fires are ravaging the island of Maui and that of Hawaii.

You can see the brutal intensity of the spread of the fires. Photo: AFP

The extent of the damage is not known, but videos on social media show a wall of flames descending on Front Street in the city of Lahaina and destroying a number of businesses.

Photo REUTERS

“It was a nice street by the sea with shops, restaurants and the beach. We wanted to go back, but the police blocked the way and the wind was so strong that there were sandstorms and mini-tornadoes in the sea, “said Mélissa Gagnier, a Beauceronne on vacation in Kihei, Hawaii. .

Sheltered in their apartment in the south of the island, the Quebecer and her family were surprised by the extent of the fires.

“A road where we had to turn around was completely on fire a few hours following our passage. It’s quite impressive. There is still smoke here, the air is heavy and poignant,” testified Ms. Gagnier Wednesday evening.

She hopes to be able to fly to Canada on Thursday, since she will have nowhere to sleep if she is prevented from leaving the island.

AFP photo

Chaos

Despite the state of emergency and the evacuation of thousands of people, the authorities have already counted six dead, a toll that is likely to increase as the search continues.

“911 is not working. Neither do mobile phone services. The situation is dire,” Hawaii Vice Governor Sylvia Luke said.

Ms Luke added that hospitals are overwhelmed by events, overflowing with burn patients or smoke inhalation patients.

We see the devastation that has spread to the port of Lahaina. Photo REUTERS

Claire Kent, a Lahaina resident, described to CNN the chaos that gripped her town as a “scene worthy of a horror movie, with people stuck in traffic jams amid burning cars.”

“I know people failed to evacuate,” she said, adding that some boats tried to rescue people who jumped into the ocean to escape the flames.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 12 people in the waters off Lahaina. They also sent ships to Maui.

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