When an inferno incinerated the town of Lāhainā on August 8, 2023, the inhabitants received little warning. Hawaii has an extensive open air warning system, but no sirens rang through the air. Maui County stated they sent a cell phone warning, but not until 4:15PM, more than an hour after smoke was first seen billowing downhill toward the town. Even then, very few people I talked to received an alert. At that point high winds from Hurricane Dora had already toppled multiple power lines, cutting off power and cell phone reception. The first sign they saw of danger was the smell and sight of fire. Streets became choked with panicked residents, obstructing the few outlets from town. As of mid-September, 97 lives had been confirmed as claimed by fire: the deadliest mass-casualty event in the history of Hawaiʻi. More
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