“starr-020802-0003-Saccharum_officinarum-fire-Hamakuapoko-Maui” by Starr Environmental is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
At least 100 people and counting have been found dead after a wildfire ravished Western Maui,
specifically the town of Lahaina, on August 8th. The initial cause of the fire is yet to be
determined, but it is speculated by authorities that the summer windstorms caused by Hurricane
Dora may have triggered an electrical line to break and catch fire.
Over 110 people are said to still be missing according to authorities, and with 99% of the burn
site searched this mission is looking less like a rescue and more like a recovery. This rising death
toll caused Maui’s wildfire to take the record as the deadliest wildfire in the United States in over
a century and it is steeply becoming the costliest.
“This is unprecedented. No one has ever seen [anything like this fire] that is alive today. Not
this size, not this number, not this volume,” said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier at a news
conference.
Pelletier along with the rest of the world never saw this fire coming, which makes the situation
even more urgent. No one could have imagined such a costly fire, leading to a lack of resources
being available to supply Maui with.
Because of the amount of loss in Maui, the mainland scrambled to provide resources to
Lahaina. The Red Cross rushed to help Maui and provided food, personal products, water, and
all other necessities to Maui. The Biden-Harris administration labeled the wildfires a major
disaster prompting FEMA to approve more than 5.6 million federal dollars to aid the recovery of
Maui. Air BNB along with many hotels also gave up rooms to people who had lost everything in
the fire.
With the lack of resources, the ethical question of if tourists should travel to Maui is up for
debate. While some natives argue that lost revenue could be earned back by money incoming
from tourists, others feel that all resources should be put towards the struggling natives.
“The mainstream media has picked up on the phrase ‘Maui is closed’ rather than ‘Maui is
grieving’. The real message needs to become that Maui is open, but western Maui is closed. A
majority of community funds are being used to help the people of Lahaina, so the tourism is
necessary to make the money we are losing back,” said Leah Kekoa, a Maui native who owns
various Air BNB complexes across western Maui that are currently being used to house fire
victims.
Kekoa suggests that people should not feel that they are helping Maui by avoiding travel when
Maui has a tourism-based-economy.
specifically the town of Lahaina, on August 8th. The initial cause of the fire is yet to be
determined, but it is speculated by authorities that the summer windstorms caused by Hurricane
Dora may have triggered an electrical line to break and catch fire.
Over 110 people are said to still be missing according to authorities, and with 99% of the burn
site searched this mission is looking less like a rescue and more like a recovery. This rising death
toll caused Maui’s wildfire to take the record as the deadliest wildfire in the United States in over
a century and it is steeply becoming the costliest.
“This is unprecedented. No one has ever seen [anything like this fire] that is alive today. Not
this size, not this number, not this volume,” said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier at a news
conference.
Pelletier along with the rest of the world never saw this fire coming, which makes the situation
even more urgent. No one could have imagined such a costly fire, leading to a lack of resources
being available to supply Maui with.
Because of the amount of loss in Maui, the mainland scrambled to provide resources to
Lahaina. The Red Cross rushed to help Maui and provided food, personal products, water, and
all other necessities to Maui. The Biden-Harris administration labeled the wildfires a major
disaster prompting FEMA to approve more than 5.6 million federal dollars to aid the recovery of
Maui. Air BNB along with many hotels also gave up rooms to people who had lost everything in
the fire.
With the lack of resources, the ethical question of if tourists should travel to Maui is up for
debate. While some natives argue that lost revenue could be earned back by money incoming
from tourists, others feel that all resources should be put towards the struggling natives.
“The mainstream media has picked up on the phrase ‘Maui is closed’ rather than ‘Maui is
grieving’. The real message needs to become that Maui is open, but western Maui is closed. A
majority of community funds are being used to help the people of Lahaina, so the tourism is
necessary to make the money we are losing back,” said Leah Kekoa, a Maui native who owns
various Air BNB complexes across western Maui that are currently being used to house fire
victims.
Kekoa suggests that people should not feel that they are helping Maui by avoiding travel when
Maui has a tourism-based-economy.
On the other hand, many people do feel that it is very disrespectful to visit Maui in a time of
grief. Tourists do not feel it is their place to use the limited resources of Maui for pleasure.
“I have a trip planned for Maui in the next upcoming weeks, but I do not want to be viewed as
a nuisance,” stated Nancy Peyton, a concerned Brentwood resident.
Peyton was on the fence of canceling her trip or continuing her travel plans. She had done
much research about going on her trip and feels every article paints a more confusing picture of
the state of Maui.
The idea of traveling to Maui is truly left in the eye of the beholder. To show support for Maui,
whether in person or from afar, people must donate to one of the many non-profits that are
saving Maui such as The American Red Cross.
Photo Credit: Rick Bowmer of ABC News
[Western Maui airport housing many fire victims.]
grief. Tourists do not feel it is their place to use the limited resources of Maui for pleasure.
“I have a trip planned for Maui in the next upcoming weeks, but I do not want to be viewed as
a nuisance,” stated Nancy Peyton, a concerned Brentwood resident.
Peyton was on the fence of canceling her trip or continuing her travel plans. She had done
much research about going on her trip and feels every article paints a more confusing picture of
the state of Maui.
The idea of traveling to Maui is truly left in the eye of the beholder. To show support for Maui,
whether in person or from afar, people must donate to one of the many non-profits that are
saving Maui such as The American Red Cross.
Photo Credit: Rick Bowmer of ABC News
[Western Maui airport housing many fire victims.]
