HONOLULU (AP) — As wildfires ripped across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark an
HONOLULU — As wildfires ripped across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts, according to a report released Wednesday.
Maui Emergency Management Agency posted to Facebook Aug. 6 about a “serious fire and damaging wind threat” due to ongoing dry conditions as Hurricane Dora passed. Meanwhile, a stretched and limited dispatch center had single operators monitoring five or six channels at a time to keep up with what was happening on the ground.
“The tragedy serves as a sobering reminder that the threat of grassland fires, wildfires, and wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations, fueled by climate change and urban encroachment into wildland areas, is a reality that must be addressed with the utmost urgency and diligence – not just in Hawaii, but around the globe,” the authors wrote.
Among the challenges faced by the department were poorly stocked fire engines, hydrants that lost water supply, and a lack of mutual aid agreements between Hawaii counties and limited equipment. Hawaiian Electric has acknowledged that one of its power lines fell and caused a fire in Lahaina early on Aug. 8, but the utility company denies that the morning fire caused the flames that burned through the town later that day.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
1 dead after shuttle bus crashes at a Honolulu cruise ship terminalHONOLULU (AP) — One person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal, authorities said Friday.
Read more »
1 dead after shuttle bus crashes at a Honolulu cruise ship terminalHONOLULU (AP) — One person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal, authorities said Friday.
Read more »
1 dead after shuttle bus crashes at a Honolulu cruise ship terminalHONOLULU (AP) — One person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal, authorities said Friday.
Read more »
Fatal Shuttle Bus Crash at Honolulu Cruise Ship TerminalOne person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal. The driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake, causing the accident.
Read more »
Maui Fire Officials Defend Response to Deadly Lahaina Blaze(Bloomberg) -- Maui Fire Department officials defended their initial response to what became the deadliest fire in Hawaii history, saying they stayed at the ...
Read more »
Hawaiian Electric falls to 40-year low amid Maui fire reportShares of Hawaiian Electric (HE) fall to a 40-year low. The lows come as the Maui Fire Department is set to release its After Action Report which details how...
Read more »