A helicopter pilot has revealed the devastating extent of Hawaii’s wildfires while filming the popular tourist hub of Lahiana after it was razed to the ground.
Richard Olsten said the crisis had left the city looking “like a war zone” just a day after wildfires erupted on Tuesday.
“It’s like an area has been bombed or just like it’s in a war zone,” Olsten told Hawaii News Now. “It doesn’t even seem real.’ It’s just awful.’
The pilot estimated several hundred houses were on fire, causing the deaths of at least 36 people and prompting President Biden to declare a state of emergency.
The governor of Hawaii on Thursday gave a celebratory update ahead of the renewed death toll, warning that the number of people killed by the inferno would “rise significantly.”
With about 80 percent of Lahiana’s fires now contained, experts fear Hawaii’s economy could suffer from the wildfires, though there have been signs of improvement after the pandemic.
Authorities are struggling to house the hundreds of displaced locals and tourists — while President Biden has granted federal aid and dispatched Black Hawks to help put out blazes fueled by high winds near Hawaii
The tourism hotspot Lahiana was leveled by the forest fires
Passengers try to rest after flights are canceled or delayed as they leave the island of Maui
Hawaii’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with the island of Maui, where the wildfires broke out, receiving 1.5 million tourists so far this year, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
The figure represented a six percent increase from this time last year, suggesting the pandemic’s impact on the US economy as a whole is easing as more Americans can afford to vacation.
Tourism accounts for about 80 percent of Maui’s economy, according to CNN, with about 75 percent of all private sector jobs linked to the industry.
But after the wildfires wreaked havoc, Maui authorities were forced to order tourists off the island and urge visitors to cancel their trips.
The decision comes after the state showed signs of life in the wake of the pandemic that saw tourist numbers drop to just 793,000 in 2020, down from over 3.1 million a year earlier.
In 2021, around 2.3 million tourists flocked to the island, and in 2022 the number almost returned to pre-pandemic levels when 2.9 million people came to the state.
According to the Maui Economic Development Fund, four out of every five dollars on the island comes from tourism.
Officials in Lahiana have been forced to urge tourists to flee the area due to “biohazard and safety concerns.”
Hawaii Army National Guard CH47 Chinook helicopters conduct aerial water bucket drops on the island of Maui to help fight the wildfires on Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 9, 2023
The hall of Lahaina’s historic Waiola Church and the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission along Wainee Street are on fire
The unprecedented wildfires were exacerbated by Hawaii’s firecrackers, which were fueled by a summer of low humidity, high temperatures and lack of rain.
When the fires broke out Tuesday, the blazes were fanned by high winds from Hurricane Dora, spreading the fire further across Maui.
The fires quickly spread down streets and set entire homes ablaze, forcing thousands to flee to safety through clouds of warlike smoke and fire.
Baffled local residents say the wildfires are unlike any that has ravaged Hawaii in recent times. A local said, “All of Lahaina is burned to a crisp. It’s like an apocalypse.”
Several people were also seen throwing themselves into the sea to escape the blistering heat. Two men who jumped into Lahiana harbor said they did so because conditions had become unbearable.
The men who declined to give their names during the interview with KHON said they felt like they were “in hell”.
“I saw some people just running, I heard screams from hell…explosions.” It felt like we were in hell, it really was. “It was just indescribable,” said one of the men.
“You couldn’t really see anything, sometimes it was just obscured by the smoke, but you could still see the flames,” said the other.
They were among 50 people rescued from the waves by the Coast Guard.
While officials say they are still evaluating, there are fears the total cost of the devastation could be well over $1 billion based on structural damage alone.
Two of the men filmed jumping into Lahaina Harbor said they jumped into the water after the heat became unbearable. They were among 50 people rescued from the waves by the Coast Guard
The blistering heat on Tuesday prompted some people to jump into the sea, including in the port of Lahiana (pictured), to escape the flames and smoke
A forest fire is burning in Kihei, Hawaii late Wednesday, August 9, 2023. Thousands of Maui residents ran from their homes as flames swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town in one of the deadliest US wildfires in recent years
Officials fear the death toll could rise further from 36 as they get a clearer picture of the extent of the damage.
As the fires raged on Tuesday, locals handed out a Google spreadsheet to find their relatives and friends, while others rushed to shelters to feed the displaced and offer help.
To fight the fire, authorities dropped hundreds of thousands of tons of water from the sky — including using Blackhawk helicopters sent by the US government after President Biden declared a state of emergency and offered federal aid.
The effort has successfully brought the fires in Lahiana to about 80 percent control, and the Maui Police Department announced Thursday that they are barring all unauthorized entry to the area to help with the clean-up effort.
“The Maui Police Department extends our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones, their homes or businesses,” the police said in a statement.
After hearing reports that her home was destroyed along with her pets, Steff Baku-Kirkman responds after it was believed that wildfires caused by high winds destroyed much of the historic town of Lahaina
Officials estimate the state could face billions of dollars in structural damage
On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, people gather at Kahului Airport while waiting for flights
“We ask for the community’s patience while first responders continue their efforts to contain the active fire and prevent it from spreading to other areas.”
“Right now, our priority is to ensure the safety of first responders and to expedite our assessment process for the Lahiana Town area.”
“We have dedicated teams consisting of MPD (Maui Police Department), Hawaii National Guard and Maui Search and Rescue personnel currently working the area.”
“Due to biohazard and safety concerns, unauthorized entry to the area is not permitted at this time. Arrangements to allow residents access to the area will be announced at a later date.”