A federal lawmaker from Hawaii said the warning sirens in the Maui area may not have activated ahead of the devastating wildfires, failing to alert people about the incoming threat.
“The warning signals that were on cell phones—we had no cell coverage or electricity in some of these areas. And the reality is with those warning signs, it tells all of us to turn on the television or look at our phones or turn on the radio.”
Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain to alert people to various natural disasters and other threats.
Maui Island, where many of the deaths occurred, has about 80 sirens in place.
Earlier, Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, admitted that the agency’s records did not show warning sirens in Maui were triggered when fires began in the town of Lahaina.
Instead, emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones, radio stations, and televisions. However, it is unclear whether these alerts were sent prior to the widespread cellular and power outage that affected Lahaina.
“It’s a very remote place. This was a western edge of the island of Maui,” he said. “Of course, we would never diminish any kind of responsibility. They were all fighting in fires across the islands.”
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez has announced a “comprehensive review of the critical decision-making and standing policies” surrounding the wildfire incident.
Widespread Damage, Incidents of Robbery
According to an update from the County of Maui on Monday night, there were 96 confirmed fatalities from the wildfires. The fire in Lahaina was 85 percent contained, affecting an estimated 2,170 acres. In Kula, the wildfires were 60 percent contained and had affected 678 acres.Officials don’t have a final count of how many people are missing, but some estimates calculate the number to be 1,000.
As of Aug. 11, the Lahaina fire had damaged or destroyed 2,207 structures in the region, with the cost estimated to be $5.52 billion, according to the Pacific Disaster Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Eighty-six percent of residential buildings in Lahaina were exposed to the fire.
The agencies estimated that 4,500 people were living in shelters. There was a need for 3,560 gallons of water and 9,000 military field ration meals per day.
Some locals have reported looting and robberies during the night and said local and state officials are not showing leadership or providing support to the community.
Hazardous Region
While authorities are bringing the fires in Maui under control, concerns remain about whether the region will be safe for residents due to toxic particles left in the aftermath. FEMA officials are surveying the area for hazards while authorities are warning residents that it is too soon to return.“It is not safe. It is a hazardous area and that’s why experts are here,” Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said in a news conference Saturday. “We’re not doing anybody any favors by letting them back in there quickly, just so they can get sick.”
Fires in urban regions can result in exploding propane tanks, oil spills, and melted pipes.
“When you burn people’s belongings, vehicles, and boats, we don’t necessarily have a good understanding of what those chemicals are,” said professor Andrew Whelton, the director of Purdue University’s Center for Plumbing Safety.
“When much of that infrastructure burns, it’s transformed into other materials that are never meant for human contact.”
Even if the fires are fully extinguished, lasting health hazards can remain in the air and drinking water. Residents in Kula and Lahaina have been asked not to consume running water even after boiling, as it can be contaminated.
Diana Felton, a state toxicologist, told Hawaii Public Radio that cleaning up the pollutants could take several weeks or even months.
