Maui wildfire report: Officials declined extra help before a deadly inferno engulfed Lahaina, killing more than 100 people
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A new report on the disastrous Maui infernos that left 101 people dead and $6 billion in damages reveals officials rejected additional help before the Lahaina fire obliterated hundreds of homes and became the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century.
A new report on the disastrous Maui infernos that left 101 people dead and $6 billion in damages reveals officials rejected additional help before the Lahaina fire obliterated hundreds of homes and became the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez released the first of three reports by her office and the Fire Safety Research Institute on Wednesday. It comes after a separate investigation by the Western Fire Chiefs Association revealed a spate of problems with emergency preparation and coordination before and during the calamity. While the attorney general’s report doesn’t assign any blame, it does give detailed timelines of events leading up to the fires, emergency responses and actions by Maui County’s mayor and the county’s top emergency management official – who has since resigned amid criticism over warning sirens that did not sound. The devastating Lahaina fire was just one of four Maui wildfires that ignited on August 8, 2023. According to the attorney general’s report: – Before the wildfires started, the National Weather Service issued red flag warnings signaling an increased risk of fire danger on Maui and specifically mentioned Lahaina.
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