On August 8, 2023, four wildfires broke out on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The worst of which, the Lahaina fire, is known to have claimed the lives of 115 people and destroyed over 2,200 homes in the city of Lahaina.
On the morning of Tuesday, August 8, the bigger Maui wildfire, known as the Upcountry fire, was already raging to the east of Lahaina. By 7 a.m. a small brush fire near a Lahaina school sparked and prompted an evacuation. Later that morning, the National Weather Service issued high wind warnings for the Hawaiian islands. It is uncertain as to what may have caused the Lahaina fire. High winds have been known to sway powerlines and cause sparks. Experts believe that this is likely what caused the brush to catch fire. Hurricane Dora to the south combined with a high pressure system to the north of the islands are to blame for the treacherous winds fueling the fires.
The island of Maui had been suffering from drought, so the conditions– hot, dry, and windy– were perfect for the fire to spread at a shocking speed. By the evening of August 8, many neighborhoods in Lahaina were evacuated as the fire raged towards more homes and buildings in the town.
On August 9, about 14,000 people on Maui had lost power due to the fires. This made communication related to rescues and evacuations very difficult. Officials announced that the Lahaina fire was 80 percent contained on August 10.
In the following days, there were continued efforts to contain the wildfire. More residents of Lahaina were evacuated and moved off the island. As of August 22, the fire was 90 percent contained and had burned through 2,170 acres. The historic town of Lahaina had been reduced to ashes in a matter of weeks.
