'Worst' Hawaii Wildfire Nears 100 Deaths... Controversy Over Government's Delayed Response

The death toll from the massive wildfire on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA, rose to 93 as of the night of the 12th (local time), making it the "worst wildfire in a century." Locally, controversy is spreading over the government's inadequate disaster preparedness and slow response.

According to U.S. media including The New York Times (NYT) on the 13th, the wildfire death toll was counted at 93 as of the previous night. This number is expected to increase as search operations continue. The wildfire, which started on the 8th on Maui Island, rapidly spread and the damage is ongoing. Hawaii Governor Josh Green stated, "This is clearly the worst natural disaster Hawaii has faced," adding, "The death toll continues to rise."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The confirmed 93 deaths so far represent the worst disaster in the U.S. in over 100 years since the 1918 wildfire in northern Minnesota that claimed 453 lives. Even limited to Hawaii, it surpasses the 1960 tsunami that took 61 lives. The NYT reported, "The deadliest wildfire in over a century," noting, "Residents are questioning the government's disaster preparedness and response. The death toll is expected to rise." The Associated Press (AP) also described it as the "worst wildfire in a century." More than 4,500 evacuees require shelter. The number of missing persons, whose whereabouts are unknown or who have lost contact, is estimated to be around 1,000.

The property damage caused by the wildfire currently approaches $6 billion (approximately 7.99 trillion KRW). Particularly, the burned area in the Lahaina region on the northwest side of Maui Island totals 2,170 acres (8.78 km²). This is about three times the size of Yeouido in Seoul (approximately 2.9 km²). In the West Maui area alone, over 2,200 buildings have collapsed, of which 86% are identified as residential homes. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, "Barricades are still set up in the center of the Lahaina area," adding, "Due to toxic airborne particles, people are advised to avoid the area and wear masks and gloves."

However, local media pointed out that authorities' efforts to search for and identify the deceased are still at an early stage. John Pelletier, Chief of the Maui County Police Department, stated that search dogs deployed so far have only covered 3% of the target area. He confirmed the difficulty of the search process, saying, "The death toll is likely to increase, and no one knows the scale." The search team marks houses where initial searches are completed with an orange X and marks locations where remains are found with HR as they continue rescue operations. Additionally, WSJ reported that federal emergency personnel and active-duty military are en route to Maui Island to assist with search and rescue operations.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Controversy has also arisen over the failure to sound initial warning sirens. Maui Island has about 80 warning sirens for disaster and emergency preparedness. However, no record of sirens sounding on the first day of the fire, the 8th, has been confirmed. Residents who did not hear the sirens reportedly only realized the wildfire situation after witnessing flames or smoke. Robin Lee, who has lived in the Lahaina area for about 40 years, told the NYT, "I am very angry because the failure to sound the alarm led to (the victims') deaths."

Despite repeated wildfire risk warnings, there are indications that authorities underestimated the danger. WSJ pointed out that researchers from Hawaii's wildfire management organization had warned that severe wildfires could occur in Lahaina and surrounding areas due to terrain and climate characteristics, and had even flown drones for situation monitoring. According to Whisker Labs, a power grid monitoring company, a major fault was detected on Maui's power lines about 20 minutes before the fire was reported. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announced in a statement the previous day that a comprehensive investigation would begin to clarify key decisions and responses before and after the Maui wildfire.

The NYT reported that survivors of the wildfire disaster are enduring with much more help from temporary volunteer networks than from the government, amid frustration. Ashley Yap, a resident distributing gasoline to evacuees north of Lahaina, told the NYT, "This is coming out of our own pockets. Where is the government?" According to the media, local churches, community organizations, and other volunteers are working together to distribute supplies, search for missing persons, and move evacuees to shelters. Firefighters are also helping deliver relief supplies. However, no official response from law enforcement or other agencies has been confirmed. The NYT reported, "Residents have expressed dissatisfaction that the fire alarm on Tuesday was inadequate and that official responses since then have been significantly lacking," adding, "Disappointed by the lack of official support, West Maui residents are stepping up to help their neighbors." Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden declared Hawaii a federal disaster area on the 10th.

The cause of the wildfire has not yet been confirmed. However, Governor Green mentioned that the severity of the wildfire damage was influenced by climate change. He said, "We have experienced wildfires for decades, but this is the first time we have experienced wildfires in the context of global warming and hurricane conditions." The cost to rebuild the affected areas is estimated to be at least $5 billion. Meanwhile, according to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of the morning of the 13th, no casualties among Korean residents or tourists have been reported. It is known that about 500 Koreans currently reside on Maui Island.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.