The public criticized the government for its inadequate response, with wildfires in Hawaii resulting in 96 deaths. The alarm system did not respond | The government
The deadliest wildfire in a century has occurred on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA, resulting in 96 deaths so far. As search and rescue continue, the death toll is likely to further increase. Many local residents told media reporters that they have not received any warning information, and the alarm system has not responded. The government departments have not responded effectively to the disaster situation.
The resort town of La Haina, which has a population of 12000 on Maui Island, has been almost completely destroyed by wildfires. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said in a video released on the 13th that wildfires caused damage to over 2700 houses in La Haina, leaving thousands of people homeless and resulting in losses exceeding $5.6 billion.
According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit research organization in the United States, the wildfire on Maui Island is the deadliest wildfire in the United States since 1918, with more fatalities than the Camp Fire in California that occurred in 2018. The fire that occurred in the town of Paradise, California in 2018 resulted in 86 deaths, while the fires that occurred in Minnesota and Wisconsin a century ago caused 453 deaths.
Maui Island is the second largest island in the Hawaiian Islands, with a population of over 100000. According to the Hawaii Emergency Management Department, the wildfire began on the 8th and quickly spread due to strong winds brought by the hurricane and environmental drought. There have been multiple wildfires erupting on Maui Island and Bigeyland Island, the largest island in Hawaii.
The Hawaii Fire Emergency Department said on the 11th that when the wildfire spread, the Maui Island fire alarm system did not respond, but the emergency department issued warning messages through mobile phones, radio, and television.
However, due to the interruption of power supply and communication signals in large areas affected by the disaster, it is impossible to determine how many people received information before the disaster occurred. Many people who fled La Haina told media reporters that they did not hear any warnings until they saw flames or heard explosions before realizing the danger.
Resident Werma Reed said, "The big mountain behind us caught fire, but no one told us... Do you know when we realized it was a wildfire? When the fire spread across our street."
Reed, who is 63 years old, has her house destroyed by a fire and lives in a car with her daughter, grandson, and pet, relying on supplies provided by kind-hearted people to make ends meet.
Maui Island Fire Department Director Brad Ventura said that the fire quickly spread from the forest to the community, and emergency departments were unable to timely understand the dynamics of the disaster.
However, according to Elizabeth Pickett, co executive director of the non-profit organization Hawaii Wildfire Management, the disaster is foreseeable. Pickett told Honolulu News Agency reporters that she co authored a report about ten years ago, pointing out that the risk of wildfires on Maui Island has increased, while La Haina is in an extremely dangerous area. She said that emergency departments could have done more in preventing or mitigating disasters.
According to Agence France Presse, the state of Hawaii has launched an investigation into disaster response. State Attorney General Anne Lopez said her office will review "key decisions and long-term policies of Maui and the entire Hawaiian Islands before, during, and after the wildfire.".
Hawaii Congressman Gil Detain told CNN reporters that the disaster has shocked local officials. "We underestimated the destructive power of wildfires and the speed of their spread."
Governor Green defended the emergency department, stating that wildfires have been ignited in many areas and the wind is strong, making the situation very complex. Regarding the public's complaints about the lack of response to the alarm system, Green said he cannot confirm whether the alarm system was properly triggered before the disaster occurred.
The full name of Hawaii's alarm system is "the state wide outdoor alarm system that covers various risks", reminding the public in emergency situations such as earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, floods, volcanic eruptions, or terrorist attacks. In recent years, this system has issued error alerts twice.
In 2018, a text message alert system mistakenly issued a message reminding people across the state to seek cover to avoid an upcoming ballistic missile, but in reality, a staff error caused an "error". In 2019, an outdoor training triggered an alarm system, causing panic among residents of Oahu and Maui islands.
