On Aug 4. at 11:00 am in Maui, Hawaii, the spread of a few small fires was reported in multiple cities around the island. At first, the fires were weak and easily controlled, but soon enough, they merged and began to cause immeasurable damage around the island. Many survivors, such as Danny Conroy, can still recall the extent to which the fire destroyed their homes.
“I heard that the fire was traveling 65 to 70 miles an hour,” Conroy said. “The whole town of Lahaina was just destroyed. Where I worked on Front Street was completely wiped out.”
Although the cause of the fires is yet to be officially announced, many residents suspect that it has something to do with dry temperatures and the high winds that caused multiple power lines to fall and possibly ignite. There have been multiple controversies circling around this topic, especially on social media. Many have been led to believe that the fire was caused due to an intentional attack using a laser. This, however, is unlikely because some residents have offered up video evidence depicting sparks from power lines catching onto dry brush. Former Maui resident Kirsten Aarsbergen has been keeping up with the spread of these videos.
“Climate change is and Hawaii’s dry weather could also be a big factor in such a rapid spread,” Aarsbergen said. “If people who live in such dry places like Hawaii, Georgia, and Florida don’t prepare for these natural disasters, it’s just going to happen again.”
Many former residents of Maui have been forced to leave their homes behind because of the destruction. On top of the worsening air quality, entire buildings and towns have been wiped out, leaving an almost tripled population of homeless people. Over 2,000 homes and around 800 businesses were destroyed during the onslaught of the fire.
“People’s jobs are gone, people’s homes are gone, people have lost their loved ones, people have lost their pets, people have lost everything,” Aarsbergen said. “As far as the locals living there, if you don’t have a job and you don’t have your home, you’re gonna leave because you can’t afford to live there anymore.”
Unfortunately, the fire didn’t stop at the destruction of businesses and houses. Over 100 bodies were found during the aftermath of the fire, and it is to be assumed that more were completely incinerated.
“The fire happened so fast that people couldn’t get away,” Conroy said. “A lot of people were killed by the fire and a lot of people were killed by smoke inhalation. The smoke was so thick, you could feel it. It traveled just as quickly as the fire.”
Long-term environmental issues such as smoke and water pollution contribute not only to the immediate deaths of many citizens but also to the rise in sickness and illness in Maui. Plastic has been burned into surrounding waters, causing the filtering system and drinking water to turn poisonous. Metals and the remnants of different types of wood still linger in the air and will continue to do so until the island makes a complete recovery. National parks and legally preserved areas have also undergone a significant and irreversible amount of damage.
“It’s really devastating,” Aarsbergen said. “All of those fumes, all of the gas tanks, all the chemicals, they’re going to take a toll on everyone’s health. There are a lot of restaurants that are struggling to find a clean water source to serve their customers.”
However, even when it seems that all hope is lost, Federal Emergency Mandates and the general public will not give up. Homeless people in Hawaii are currently being housed in hotels under a project sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). People from all around the world have been donating money and food to those who have lost everything. As people continue to relocate, the word continues to spread, and more people are willing to lend a hand to help Maui’s population get back on their feet.
“There’s a whole bunch of different nonprofits that are associated with restoring what has been lost,” Aarsbergen said. “It’s really amazing what I see on social media about the influx of people that are willing to help out. I think we all need to be aware of a balance in our lives, and we need to value what’s important to us, especially in times like these where we realize how quickly everything can be taken away.”
