"The US government's rescue operations have disappointed us" (International perspective)

On September 7th, the Associated Press reported that the US authorities have confirmed that the death toll from the wildfire disaster on Maui Island, Hawaii is 115, but there are still more people missing, and it is unclear how many people will die. This wildfire disaster has caused tens of thousands of people to be displaced, more than 2200 buildings to be destroyed, and estimated property damage to reach billions of dollars. The seaside resort town of La Haina is almost in ruins.

The Hawaii wildfire disaster is the deadliest wildfire in the United States for over a century. American media pointed out that the disaster itself has caused a large number of casualties and property damage, and the official response to the disaster and delayed rescue have brought secondary trauma to the affected population. The New York Times published an article stating that the initial shock and grief of the disaster have gradually been replaced by anger and questioning of the government's response.

"I don't know when I can return to my own home"

It has been a month since the wildfire disaster occurred, and burned down buildings and trees can still be seen everywhere on Maui Island. The smoky black ruins and broken walls are shocking.

On August 8th, wildfires began to spread on Maui Island, and the town of Lahaina was severely damaged by the wildfires. "At that time, the ground was filled with flames, and many people were forced to jump into the sea to escape." Survivor Mike Chikino still had lingering fear when he remembered the scene of the disaster. He and his wife jumped into the sea and lasted for more than three hours before they were able to escape. He said, "This is currently the most terrifying experience in our lives."

At present, the fire in La Haina has been brought under control, and most of the fires in the inland areas of Maui Island, such as Kura and Olinda, have also been brought under control. The fire department of Maoyi County stated that it will take some time to completely extinguish the fire. Daryl Oliveira, interim director of the Maoi County Emergency Management Bureau, stated that "we have completely completed the search mission and are now moving on to the next phase of work," including the need for the US Environmental Protection Agency to carry out the removal of hazardous waste, such as toxic substances generated by the combustion of building materials such as asbestos and lead paint, and harmful chemicals that may be left behind by fire smoke.

Hawaii Today News Network reported that residents are still unable to return to the affected areas of La Haina, and various parties are developing a plan for residents to return safely. Local resident Gribelach said that he can only live with relatives now, "the fire destroyed everything, and I don't know when I can return to my home.".

The wildfire disaster caused huge economic losses. Moody's, a US rating agency, stated in a report that the property damage caused by the fire to Maui Island ranges from $4 billion to $6 billion. This data only reflects the damage caused by the fire to physical assets and does not include the impact of the fire on the local economy, fire response expenses, and social costs.

Maui Island is the second largest island in the Hawaiian Islands, with a population of over 100000. La Haina was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, with many historical and cultural relics. The tourism industry accounts for about 80% of the total economic revenue of Maui Island. The fire has caused a significant blow to the local tourism industry and people's livelihoods, with a sharp increase in the number of people applying for unemployment benefits. Javier Cantellops, the head of a diving company in Maui, said that after the wildfire disaster, Maui's business has plummeted and he has had to lay off 40% of its employees. Local officials stated that the post disaster economic recovery of Maui Island is "a long road ahead", and it is difficult for the tourism industry to regain vitality.

"Public utilities have been neglecting the maintenance and improvement of the power grid for decades."

According to US media reports, in addition to natural factors, the losses from this fire exceeded expectations, exposing the lack of local disaster preparedness. Former Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Michael Brown, stated that the government's response to fires was "a tragic failure.".

Hawaiian Electric Company recently stated that the first fire that occurred on August 8th was caused by strong winds blowing down electrical wires, and staff went to the site for repairs after the fire broke out. The Maoyi County Fire Department reported that the fire was "100% under control" and then left the scene. As a result, a second fire broke out in the same area, spreading towards La Haina. According to Reuters, the Maui County government recently sued Hawaiian Electric Company, claiming that the company failed to cut off power in a timely manner due to negligence, resulting in a catastrophic fire.

The Associated Press article states that most of Hawaii Electric's 60000 utility poles are made of wood, many of which are already tilted and close to their designed lifespan. According to relevant documents, these utility poles were built according to an outdated 1960s standard and far from meeting the national standards of the United States in 2002. The Associated Press cited a 2019 document stating that the replacement of old utility poles was delayed due to other "priorities". The document also warns that if the power poles are "unqualified", it will create "serious public hazards".

Hawaii claims to have a massive outdoor networked public safety warning system, deploying approximately 400 alarms to alert the public to threats such as natural disasters. However, when the wildfire disaster occurred, the alarm did not sound. Local resident Werma Reed said, "The mountains behind us caught fire, but no one told us... Do you know when we realized it was a wildfire? When the fire spread across the street from us?" An article in The New York Times pointed out that more and more people suspected that geologists did not issue warnings to the public earlier and arrange evacuation earlier.

According to a report by the National Broadcasting Corporation, five years ago, a wildfire destroyed a small number of houses in La Haina. At that time, residents raised concerns about obstructed evacuation routes, the threat of electric wire leakage, and failure to hear alarms. "However, they were completely ignored and missed the opportunity to save La Haina."

The New York Times article stated that prior to the wildfire disaster, Hawaiian Electric Company had been warned of its system fragility. An energy expert said that this utility company knew it needed to upgrade its power equipment, but did not take action. "In many parts of the United States, public utilities have been neglecting the maintenance and improvement of the power grid for decades, and regulatory agencies and legislators have basically 'turned a blind eye'."

"The government's inaction has led to increasing fire hazards in many parts of the United States"

Reuters reported that on September 4th, a father who lost his daughter in a fire filed a lawsuit against Hawaii and Maui County, accusing the government of gross negligence that led to the destruction of La Haina by the fire. The lawsuit states that the local state and county governments have a responsibility to regularly clean up dry vegetation in the area to reduce the risk of wildfires. Currently, Hawaiian Electric Company is also facing more than 10 civil lawsuits.

The New York Times reported that many residents are frustrated by the slow response of the federal, state, and local governments in the United States. CBS reported that after the disaster, survivors were not only hungry and lacking in food, but also did not receive official guidance. Local disaster victim Eddie Garcia said, "We are disappointed with the US government's rescue efforts." Chicino criticized, "We feel that they are just shifting the blame to other places and avoiding the problem. US government officials at all levels should improve transparency in their work."

Mark Joffey, an expert at the Cato Institute, a think tank in the United States, pointed out that Hawaii's response to wildfires is "definitely a government failure.". He believes that the US government has performed poorly, and the official distribution of relief supplies has been slow. Connor O'Keefe from the Mises Institute in the United States pointed out that "the failure of the US government has greatly exacerbated this disaster.".

"The deadly Hawaiian wildfire disaster is the result of policy failure and governance failure. It is not only in Hawaii, but also in many parts of the United States where government inaction has led to increasing fire hazards," said Jarrett Stepman, a columnist for the Daily Signal website