International Sharp Review | Can the Maui Island Fire Alert American Politicians? Maui Island | Accident | United States
Hundreds of people have died, thousands of people are missing, and thousands of houses have been destroyed... As of the 17th local time, the fire on Maui Island in Hawaii has not been fully controlled. "Everything around us has been destroyed, looking like a war zone." "Our hometown has gone from heaven to hell." "We haven't received any fire alarms or shelter guides." "If it weren't for poor rescue efforts, many people could have survived."... In front of media cameras and on social media platforms, Americans have issued angry accusations.
This is the deadliest wildfire accident in over a hundred years in the United States. How exactly is it brewed? Due to natural conditions, including strong winds, arid climate, and flammable vegetation. But as more and more details are revealed, people have found that, like many accidents that have occurred in the United States in the past, the Maui wildfire accident is not only a natural disaster, but also a man-made one.
As a global superpower, the United States is neither short of money nor technology, but its disaster relief capabilities are widely criticized. From the collapse of a building in Florida in 2021, to the derailment of a train in Ohio in 2023, to the ongoing wildfire tragedy on Maui Island, time and time again, the American people have experienced the despair of "American style rescue.".
According to American media reports, Hawaii has a strong public safety warning system with approximately 400 alarms deployed, including 80 on Maui Island. However, when the fire swept through Maui Island, these alarms did not sound. On the 15th local time, a resident of Maui Island posted a video on social media showing that a public power line was blown down by the wind and lit up a dry grassland, causing the fire to quickly spread. People criticize that the government's failure to cut off electricity in a timely manner exacerbated the fire. In addition, a local restaurant owner named Kelly Scheer posted on social media that Maui Island was only 100 miles away from the local military, but 72 hours after the fire, the US Navy, medical ships, helicopters, army, and natural disaster rescue equipment arrived in the disaster area. The Washington Post pointed out that efficient post disaster rescue operations are not organized by the US government, but by local residents.
The failure of developed alarm systems, delayed arrival of rescue teams, and the inaction of the massive US military... Behind the low disaster relief capabilities of the United States, it reflects the indifference of politicians towards the suffering of the people.
Wildfires are not uncommon in Hawaii. In 2022, Hawaii released a report listing natural disasters that could cause serious harm, including tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, etc. However, the risk assessment for wildfires was "low". This has been criticized by the media as a lack of disaster prevention awareness. After the Maui fire, the performance of the US government was even more astonishing.
I don't know if it's a coincidence, but in 2021, when the US military retreated in Kabul, US President Biden was on vacation; When Maui Island was engulfed by flames in 2023, Biden was also on vacation. When the reporter asked about the casualties on Maui Island, he smiled and replied, "No comment," which sparked widespread public criticism. Many netizens accuse that in the face of such huge casualties, how can the US President still laugh? According to Agence France Presse on the 15th, the deadliest wildfire in the United States in over a century has sparked anger towards government inaction.
Why do American politicians rest assured on vacation and show no concern for the disaster in Maui? This indifference is rooted in the competitive party politics of the United States, and the hard currency of this politics is votes. Hawaii belongs to the United States Overseas Territories, and the majority of the residents on Maui Island are indigenous. American politicians have always ignored the interests and demands of this group, lacking the motivation to care about them. Some American media have pointed out that Biden may believe that he will win the vote for Hawaii in the next election no matter what, because Hawaii is the Democratic Party's stronghold. This election game, which revolves around votes, further amplifies the selfishness of American politicians, ultimately leading to natural disasters turning into disasters and causing significant casualties.
According to preliminary estimates, the wildfire on Maui Island has caused hundreds of families to be displaced, with an estimated loss of $6 billion in housing alone. As of the 15th, the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the United States has approved approximately $2.3 million in disaster relief assistance. The day before, the Biden administration announced an additional $200 million in military aid to Ukraine. Such a strong contrast has led many American netizens to mock: "Is it possible that as long as Hawaii changes its name to Ukraine, disaster victims can receive more assistance?" "Why is Ukraine more important than Hawaii? Because the former can add points to the US election, while the latter cannot."
Now, the wildfires on Maui Island are still spreading. It not only burned down the homes of many Americans, but also exposed the inaction of politicians and the shortcomings of the American system. In the face of the painful cries of disaster stricken people and strong criticism from the outside world, can American politicians who have returned from vacation be vigilant: stop fighting fires internationally, focus on extinguishing fires domestically, and save people from water and fire?
