Maui Wildfire Death Toll Increases to 67; Residents Admit There Was 'No Warning'

Numerous residents who managed to escape the devastating Maui wildfire that swept through the Hawaiian island have expressed concern over the lack of official warnings regarding the blazes, resulting in numerous casualties and widespread destruction.

Tiare Abraham, one such resident, recounted to CBS News that they had to rely on their judgment to navigate the situation.

She shared, "We kind of just figured it out on our own. I realized when it was time to go when the smoke was so dark, we could not see anything outside."

The Maui wildfire death toll has now climbed to at least 67, as reported by Maui County Officials on Friday.

However, the number of casualties is expected to rise further as search and rescue efforts continue. Governor Josh Green cautioned that the ongoing operations will likely reveal additional fatalities.

Amid the ongoing crisis, some residents have been allowed to return to the ravaged historic town of Lahaina to assess their properties.

Nonetheless, the affected region has enforced a daily curfew from 10 pm to 6 am. Evacuations and damage assessments are still underway, with over 1,000 homes and structures confirmed to be damaged or destroyed, including historic establishments.

Additional personnel are arriving on the island to bolster response efforts, including a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) search and rescue team equipped with cadaver dogs.

Maui Wildfire Warning: Hawaii Gov Says It's Too Early to Determine If Emergency Siren System Failed

Hawaii Governor Josh Green had refrained from making definitive statements about the functionality of Maui's emergency siren system before the wildfires struck.

Green emphasized the complexities in assessing the situation due to the remote location and equipment destruction caused by the fires, according to NBC News.

He stated, "It's too early for me to tell. Much of the equipment was destroyed by fire, and it's a very remote place... We would never diminish any kind of responsibility."

The rapid onset of the wildfires caught residents off guard, partly attributed to the impact of 80 mph winds caused by the remnants of Hurricane Dora.

These powerful winds disrupted telecommunications and plunged the island into darkness. In addition to the fires, firefighting personnel simultaneously battled three other blazes.

Governor Green expressed hesitancy in assigning blame for the situation, highlighting the unprecedented challenges posed by the combination of extreme weather conditions and the changing climate.

He remarked, "I'm very reluctant to blame anyone," adding that they are dealing with the extreme changes, global warming, the drying of their land, and then when the storm passed to the south of Hawaii, that was the hurricane that sent the winds that boosted the wildfire.

Some Challenges Maui County Faces During Emergencies

Maui County had anticipated the wildfire risk, as indicated by its hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020, AP reports.

The plan singled out Lahaina and other West Maui communities due to their vulnerability to frequent wildfires and many structures susceptible to wildfire damage.

Moreover, the plan highlighted the limited vehicle ownership and prevalence of non-English speakers in the West Maui, potentially hindering effective communication and rapid response during emergencies.

The firefighting efforts in Maui encountered obstacles, with a modest staff size being a notable constraint.

Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association, noted that the county's firefighting personnel number a maximum of 65, covering three islands: Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.

With 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks at their disposal, the absence of off-road vehicles limits their ability to combat brush fires before they reach populated areas or roadways.

The Maui wildfire is on track to become the second-most expensive disaster in Hawaii's history, following Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

The calculations conducted by Karen Clark & Company, a notable firm specializing in disaster and risk modeling, indicate this projection.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Maui Wildfires: More than 50 killed, unknown amount of people missing - From CBS Chicago