Missed communications and blocked evacuation routes: New report details problems and heroism from Maui’s disastrous wildfires

An investigation of the catastrophic Maui wildfires that killed 101 people, destroyed hundreds of homes and left $6 billion in damages reveals a spate of problems with emergency preparation and coordination before and during the disaster.

An investigation of the catastrophic Maui wildfires that killed 101 people, destroyed hundreds of homes and left $6 billion in damages reveals a spate of problems with emergency preparation and coordination before and during the disaster. Among them: Chief officers and some Maui Fire Department staff used “WhatsApp” for situational awareness updates, but not everyone in the department used the app. And there was “minimal” pre-positioning of staff and equipment after the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning prior to the four major wildfires breaking out on August 8, 2023. But the new 84-page report produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association also acknowledges the “whole island’s limited resources, which were extremely challenged by the scope and scale of the collective incidents.” “After conducting over 200 interviews and reviewing numerous data sets, it is clear that the four major wildfires pushed the (Maui Fire Department) to an unprecedented level of strain. Despite this, the collective actions by MFD and law enforcement saved many lives and property across the island,” the report says. “Nearly every staff member and vehicle resource of MFD on Maui was deployed. The emergency response system did not break but rather it found itself outmatched by the extreme weather and fire conditions. Staff members endured shifts of 36 hours or more and risked their lives in a valiant effort to stop the spread of the fires and save lives.” The report was released one day before Hawaii’s Attorney General Anne Lopez is expected to announce the first wave of findings from an investigation by her office and the Fire Safety Research Institute on Wednesday.