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The Maui EMA administrator asked him if he regretted not sounding the warning sirens. listen to his answer
01:42 - To die:CNN
CNN—
Amid fears that speculators could buy up devastated land, Hawaii Governor Josh Green insisted on Friday that the years-long effort to rebuild the country was over.Mauis historische LahainaThe municipality puts the wishes of residents above those of real estate developers.
"Let me be clear. "Lahaina belongs to the people and we are committed to rebuilding and restoring it the way they want it to be," Green said in a video statement late on Friday.
The West Maui community, once a thriving commercial and cultural center, was decimated by the wildfires that ravaged the island on Aug. 8. Many of the at least 114 people killed in the fires came from the area, which devastated entire neighborhoods and reduced irreplaceable historic monuments to ashes.
First Lady Jaime Kanani Green was moved in a conversation with the governor by exposing the magnitude of the loss of the community.
“For generations, Lahaina's beauty, culture and rich history have attracted artists, musicians and visitors from around the world,” she said. "Tragically, it took us less than a day to lose Lahaina in the deadliest wildfire our country has seen in over a century."
The governor's assurance comes hours after members of the Lahaina community gathered to ask state leaders to involve residents in the recovery, after giving them time to grieve.
"The governor's plan to rebuild the community must be based on the needs of the people, not the interests of developers," said community member Tiare Lawrence.
Thousands of residents have been displaced - and more than 1,000 more are estimated to be missing as crews continue to comb the burned ruins. About 78% of the area had been searched as of Saturday, police said.Maui Police Department.
Meanwhile, fears have spread that outsiders could launch predatory attacks from the ground. For many local residents and native Hawaiians, theConcerns have historical rootsand it can also evoke memories of generations of residents who were driven from their childhood home.
Satellite images from June 25 and August 9 show an overview of Lahaina Square and businesses in Maui County, Hawaii before and after the recent wildfires.
Satellite Image ©2023 Maxar Technologies
Land in Lahaina has been set aside "for people who come back and rebuild," Green said, reaffirming his pledge to ensure nonresidents don't use the tragedy as an opportunity to acquire land from residents.
Hawaiian authorities warned residents to beware of predatory offers to buy their properties and urged people to report such offers to the state's Consumer Protection Agency. Earlier this week, Green said he asked the attorney general to work to introduce a "moratorium" on real estate transactions.
The governor has estimated that Maui is on the verge of doing so.$6 billion in damagesMore than 2,200 buildings were destroyed by fire and another 500 were damaged.
But before reconstruction can begin, aid workers must complete the painful task of combing the burning disaster area and proceeding to identify the victims' remains so that families can be notified.
The governor said he asked the attorney general to conduct a "thorough investigation" into the disaster as island officials are increasingly examining whether more steps could have been taken to alert residents as wildfires wreak havoc on Maui. .
The assessment would include the cause of the fires, authorities' response and ways to improve emergency procedures, Green said on Friday.
Frustration among many residents has mounted as authorities have offered various explanations as to why the island's disaster alerts have remained silent, including that the system is broken or that the sirens have caused people to flee rather than avoid.
Maui Ramp Management Director Herman Andayaresigned thursday— just a day after defending the decision not to sound the alarm.
Andaya cited his health as the reason for his resignation, Maui County said. No further information about his health status was provided.
On Friday, August 11, Sarah Salmonese sits in her home in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Ken Alba carries an ice cream cone at a grocery and supply distribution center in the parking lot of a Lahaina mall on Thursday, Aug. 17.
On August 17, fences will be placed around devastated neighborhoods in Lahaina.
Destroyed homes can be seen in Lahaina on Wednesday, August 16th.
The state flag of Hawaii flies over a sign in Lahaina that reads "Keep Tourists Away" on Aug.Tourists are asked to stay at homewhile Maui recovers. Many hotels can accommodate evacuees.
On Aug. 16, a woman lays flowers and prays on top of a hill overlooking the rubble of Lahaina.
Lahaina's Wahikuli Terrace neighborhood is featured on Tuesday, August 15th.
Search and rescue teams survey damage in Lahaina on Aug.
An FBI agent watches as two more refrigerated containers arrive at the Maui Police Department's Forensic Center, where human remains were stored in Wailuku, Hawaii, on Monday, Aug. 14.
A spoon lies in the rubble of a house destroyed by the Aug. 14 fire in Kula, Hawaii.
Lauren Haley sprays water at hot spots in her Kula neighborhood on Aug. 14.
JP Mayoga, executive chef of The Westin Maui Resort, is embraced by his wife, Makalea Ahhee, at the hotel near Lahaina on Sunday, Aug. 13. About 200 employees lived at the hotel with their families.
Volunteers in Kihei, Hawaii load water onto a boat to be shipped to West Maui on Aug. 13.
People pray during a religious service in Wailuku on Aug. 13. The Maui Coffee Attic opened for worship after a fire destroyed Grace Baptist Church in Lahaina.
On Saturday, August 12th, people line up at a checkpoint to gain access to Lahaina.
Volunteers unload supplies on Aug. 12 for delivery to an evacuee distribution center in Napili-Honokowai, Hawaii.
The Honolulu Fire Department is on site in Lahaina on Aug.
This aerial photo shows the husks of burned homes, vehicles and buildings in Lahaina on August 11.
Zoltan Balogh cleans trees burned by the forest fire in Kula.
Cars pull back on the Honoapiilani Highway as residents can return to areas hit by the Aug. 11 fire.
Volunteers in Maalaea, Hawaii, watch as truckloads of donated food and supplies leave for Lahaina on Aug. 10.
Devastating fire debris sighted in Lahaina on August 10.
Volunteers stack canned goods at War Memorial Stadium in Kahului.
Burnt-out cars line up in Lahaina on Aug. 10.
Vixay Phonxaylinkham holds her four-year-old daughter Lana as they wait for their flight at Kahului Airport on Aug. Phonoxaylinkham, his wife and their five children were returning to California. They were caught in the wildfires but survived by spending four hours at sea.
On August 10, people arrive on school buses to evacuate the Maui airport.
Construction debris is seen in Lahaina on Aug.
Myrna Ah Hee reacts as she waits outside an evacuation center in Wailuku on Aug. The Ah Hees were looking for her husband's brother. Her home in Lahaina was spared, but wildfires destroyed many of her relatives' homes.
Puong Sui, center, talks with her daughter at the evacuation center in Kahului on Aug. 10. Sui lost her home and belongings in Lahaina and wanted to fly to Las Vegas to be reunited with her family.
Forest fire burns in Kihei on Aug.
This satellite image shows an overview of wildfires in Lahaina on August 9.
People gather at Kahului Airport awaiting flights on Aug. 9.
Hawaii Army National Guard helicopters carry buckets of water on Aug. 9 to facilitate firefighting.
Residents carry their belongings after wildfires ravaged Lahaina on Aug. 9.
Passengers try to sleep on the ground at Kahului Airport as they wait for flights on Aug. 9.
The hall of the historic Waiola Church and the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission caught fire in Lahaina on August 8.
In pictures: Maui's deadly wildfires
On Saturday, Maui firefighters battling multiple wildfires managed to bring most of the blaze under control. District officials said the fires had not spread for several days and activity was limited to isolated spots in the existing area.
While the causes of the fires are still under investigation, "fire investigators have concluded that the fires in Kula and Olinda have different origins," Maui County said Saturday.
Help sports teams
Faced with the daunting task of rebuilding devastated communities, some sports teams join in the relief efforts.
Twelve Los Angeles professional sports teams have joined forces to donate $450,000 to the Maui Fire Department, according to a joint press release Thursday.
"Although California and Hawaii are more than 2,000 miles apart, the two states are closely associated with a strong Hawaiian community that calls Southern California home," the statement said.
MLB Angels and Dodgers, NFL Chargers and Rams, NBA Clippers and Lakers, NHL Kings and Ducks, NWSL Angel City Football Club, MLS LA Galaxy and LAFC, and WNBA Sparks will join the American Red Cross and donate to "those in need". to help ". "
Elsewhere, the University of Kansas and University of Illinois men's basketball teams announced on Friday that they will participate in a charity exhibition game to benefit wildfire efforts in Maui. Both teams previously planned to have a line of scrimmage before the event was changed.
Proceeds from the Oct. 29 pageant in Champaign, Illinois will be donated to the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund, which the schools say provides financial support for Maui's recovery.
OfMaui invitation, played primarily in Lahaina, has been a staple of men's basketball programming since 1984. Due to the wildfires, it is unclear if the tournament will go ahead as planned and tournament organizers said they are actively monitoring the situation.
"For decades, the Maui Invitational and the city of Lahaina have been important to college basketball, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire community as it recovers from such a tragic event," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "(Illinois coach Brad Underwood) and I discussed how our private line of scrimmage could become an exhibition game to raise money that will benefit so many people affected by the recent catastrophic Maui fires."
CNN's Jacob Lev, Homero De la Fuente, Catherine Thorbecke, and Cheri Mossburg contributed to this report.
FAQs
What started the fire in Lahaina? ›
An investigation is underway to determine what initially sparked the wildfires, and the cause has not been officially determined. Investigators are looking into whether downed power lines and decisions by Hawaiian Electric, the state's primary power company, played a role.
When was the Lahaina fire? ›His family has been in Hawaii for seven generations, and until the devastating fire ripped through the town center Aug. 8, leaving a wasteland of ashes and twisted metal, he and his wife Grace lived next to DelosReyes' parents. Both homes were among the many destroyed.
When were the Maui wildfires? ›A wind-whipped wildfire Aug. 8 devastated the town of Lahaina in West Maui. Other fires also erupted on the island. At least 115 people have been confirmed dead in the wildfires, the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
How many acres burned on Maui? ›The wildfires in Maui have burned thousands of acres since the blaze began earlier this month, and some of the fires were still partially contained as of Monday. The Lahaina fire – the most devastating of the blazes – burned an estimated 2,170 acres, the County of Maui said in a news release on Monday.
What started Maui fires 2023? ›The finding adds to evidence that the island's electric utility was the source of at least some fires reported on Aug. 7 and 8. KULA, Hawaii — At 10:47 p.m. last Monday, a security camera at the Maui Bird Conservation Center captured a bright flash in the woods, illuminating the trees swaying in the wind.
Who gave Maui fire? ›Māui said, "The fires of the world have been extinguished, I have come to ask you for fire." Mahuika listened carefully to Māui, and then she laughed. She pulled a fingernail from one of her burning fingers and gave it to him. "Take this fire as a gift to your people. Honour this fire as you honour me."
How many people are still missing in Lahaina? ›As of Monday, with the search of the rubble of Lahaina over 85 percent complete, 850 people remain listed as missing, according to Maui County mayor Richard Bissen.
How many people are still missing from Lahaina fire? ›MAUI, Hawaii — A "validated list" of people who are unaccounted for after the Aug. 8 wildfire in Lahaina has 388 names on it and is poised to drop further, according to Maui County officials, adding that the FBI compiled the new list.
How many people are still missing on Maui? ›Maui releases names of 388 people still missing after deadly wildfire.
Why are so many people missing in Maui? ›HONOLULU (AP) — Within a day of Maui County releasing 388 names of people unaccounted for following the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, more than 100 of them or their relatives came forward to say they're safe, the FBI said Friday.
Why did Maui steal fire? ›
MAUI, LEGENDS OF
In the morning he demanded cooked food, but when his mother ordered the slaves to go to Mahuika to beg her to give fire to the world again, they were too frightened to go. Wily Maui thereupon volunteered to undertake the task and was welcomed by the ancient as her grandson.
Some 850 people are still missing after the devastating wildfires in Maui, County Mayor Richard Bissen has said. Over 1,200 people who had been on the list of those missing have been found safe, Mr Bissen said on Monday, warning numbers are expected to fluctuate.
Who is the largest land owner on Maui? ›Who owns Maui? After the State of Hawaii, who owns over 154,000 acres on Maui, Alexander & Baldwin is the second-largest landowner at over 65,000 acres, and the U.S. Government is the third-largest landowner at over 33,000 acres.
How many locals live on Maui? ›Maui has a population of approximately 166,000 people. The population has been growing gradually during the past 10 years. For example, in 2011, Maui had a population of approximately 160,000 people. Therefore, the population has grown by approximately 3 to 4 percent during the past decade.
How Maui stole fire from down below? ›Mahuika lived in a cave in a burning mountain at the end of the earth. She gave Māui one of her burning fingernails to relight the fires, but Māui extinguished fingernail after fingernail until Mahuika became angry and sent fire to pursue Māui.
How did the Esperanza fire start? ›The Esperanza Fire was a large, wind-driven, arson-caused wildfire that started on October 26, 2006, in a river wash near Cabazon, California, west of Palm Springs, California. By October 29, 2006, it had burned over 41,173 acres (166.62 km2) (or 61 square miles (160 km2)) and was 85% contained.
Is the Lahaina fire still burning? ›By 9 a.m., the fire department declared that the brush fire was “100 percent contained,” according to a county communiqué. The fire crews stayed on scene for several hours, monitoring the area, according to videos captured by residents.
What was the fuel spill in Maui? ›On Jan. 29, an estimated 700 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto a concrete pad and into the surrounding soil at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex after a pump for an on-site backup generator failed to shut off due to a mechanical issue.