On Monday, August 7th, at 10:47 P.M, the security camera from the Maui Bird Conservation Center captured a bright flash in the nearby woods. The power went out, a generator kicked in, and the next frame shown is of the forest on fire. “I think that is when a tree is falling on a power line,” says Jennifer Pribble, a senior research coordinator at the organization, in a video posted on Instagram. Early the next morning, fire was seen around Lahainaluna Road, which passed through the historic town of Lahaina, and by 9 A.M the wildfire was declared 100% contained. However, the Lahaina fire flared up once again in the afternoon–spreading over about 1,000 acres–while frantic residents were trying to make an escape. As hours passed, the situation in Lahaina grew increasingly dire. Those who remained were forced to make life-or-death decisions with some abandoning their cars or jumping into the ocean and pools for safety. This fire was one of several reported that week. 

An estimated 2,170 acres of land were burned by the Lahaina fire, along with 202 acres from the Upcountry fire in Southern Maui. The town of Lahaina, a sacred place for native Hawaiians and the previous capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, now lies in smoldering ruins. State officials have said that nearly 3,000 structures have been burned, leaving billions of dollars in damage and housing shortages. Many historic landmarks from early missionaries and sailors were completely destroyed. Airlines flew out more than 32,000 people, with 1,600 placed in evacuation shelters on the island. In addition, the search continues as 31 people are unaccounted for, with the current death toll at 97, making the Maui fires the fifth deadliest in U.S. history and the deadliest in over a century.

 But what caused these devastating fires that swept across Maui? Although it is still under investigation, the most likely explanation is a mix of extreme weather and utility grid faults. Since August 6th, the state had been under a red flag warning for fire risk due to the dangerous high wind conditions caused by Hurricane Dora, a Category Four storm that was moving across the Pacific Ocean. In addition, worsening drought conditions may have been another factor that caused the wildfire. "We don't know what actually ignited the fires, but we were made aware in advance by the National Weather Service that we were in a red flag situation–so that's dry conditions for a long time, so the fuel, the trees and everything, was dry," Major General Kenneth Hara of the Hawaii Army National Guard said.

The Washington Post reported, “Hawaiian Electric, the state’s utility, has faced scrutiny for not responding to the forecast fire threat by shutting down power to the area.” Despite warnings, it had not adopted a power shut-off plan, as many utilities in California and other states have done. In interviews and online messages, eight residents said they had long raised concerns with Hawaiian Electric about the utility’s aging poles and power lines, with one saying, “I was already fighting with the electric company because they never maintain the lines. We were very concerned that these high-voltage lines were running through our property and going to our neighbors because they’d been on the ground, buried in trees, or lying so low.”

Residents and officials argue whether the island should be open to tourists. Governor Josh Green encourages tourists, seeing that they bring in billions of dollars to Hawaii each year. However, some worry about the resources they will use up and fear that vacationing would be disrespectful towards those still grieving. In efforts to rebuild the island, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has given approximately $19 million in aid, according to Governor Green. He displaced 7,000 residents into hotels and Airbnb rentals, which will last for 18 months, while the American Red Cross is providing meals, mental health support, and financial help. Charitable organizations and volunteers are also providing extensive aid. Through sending their thoughts and prayers, people around the world have shown their support to Maui residents as they begin their long journey to recovery and reconstruction of their beautiful island.

Information retrieved from The Washington Post, New York Times, and CBS News.