Hawaii’s attorney general on Friday launched an investigation into the response to the wildfires that have ravaged parts of the island of Maui this week, as officials confirm 80 deaths so far from the natural disaster.
Attorney General Anne Lopez announced that the Department of the Attorney General would be conducting a comprehensive review of “critical decision-making and standing policies leading up to, during, and after the wildfires on Maui and Hawaiʻi islands this week.”
Hawaii Governor Josh Green (D.), who authorized the probe, said the response effort was hindered by power outages and damage to the phone network, CNN reported.
Wildfires have spread across Maui, especially devastating the city of Lahaina, prompting evacuations via flights to other islands like Oahu. A drought in Hawaii exacerbated the fires, leaving very flammable vegetation that was at risk of being ignited when mixed with high winds from Hurricane Dora 500 miles south of Hawaii, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
A U.S. Coast Guard officer said Friday that the branch rescued 17 survivors who ran into the ocean to evade the flames.
“Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center issued an urgent marine information broadcast to all mariners indicating what we thought would be a mass rescue, which resulted in a response by eight Good Samaritan vessels,” Capt. Aja Kirksey, the commander of Section Honolulu, said in a statement.
The catastrophe has sent many Hawaii victims to the hospital to seek medical treatment. On Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for Hawaii “to address the health impacts of the wildfires,” Secretary Xavier Becerra said. A team of 13 emergency responders were sent to Hawaii from the agency for immediate relief efforts.
“The Department of the Attorney General shares the grief felt by all in Hawaiʻi, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy,” Lopez said. “My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review. As we continue to support all aspects of the ongoing relief effort, now is the time to begin this process of understanding.”
FEMA estimated that the cost of reconstruction following the destruction of the Lahaina fire would be $5.52 billion.