Maui wildfires continue to expose government’s FAILURES and QUESTIONABLE decisions

08/25/2023 / By Laura Harris

A series of wildfires swept through the island of Maui and its historic Lahaina town in Hawaii in early August. However, the never-ending revelations about authorities’ questionable and poor decisions during the incident continue to unfold.

Herman Andaya, now the former chief of Maui’s Emergency Management Agency, decided not to activate warning sirens during the wildfires. He claimed that doing so would have caused more confusion and wouldn’t have saved anyone.

Moreover, children were left at home without their parents after power cuts on the island closed the schools – contributing to a large number of juvenile casualties. Meanwhile, those who dodged the barricades and sought refuge in the ocean survived. (Related: Island police announce launch of arson investigation: “Climate change” propagandist may have started fires in Hawaii.)

Following the poor decisions that led to more casualties during the wildfires, reports have emerged that authorities are turning away residents that arrive with much-needed supplies like generators and water. Survivors who receive water provided by the state government get sick after drinking.

Hawaiian Electric, which promised to invest in preventive measures after the 2019 wildfires, still lacks preparedness. The local utility company obsessively focused on renewable energy while spending a mere $245,000 on wildfire safety over the four-year period between 2019 and 2023.

Furthermore, M. Kaleo Manuel – an official at the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) – refused to release water for the West Maui fire. The deputy director for the DLNR’s Commission on Water Resource Management believed in water equity and reverence for water as a privilege rather than a resource. A Maui resident says they were winning against the fires “until the water shut off.”

Real estate developers taking advantage of the tragic incident in Maui

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has been vocal about his intention to prevent opportunistic land acquisitions by foreign entities and ensure that the recovery and redevelopment process prioritizes the interests of Hawaii’s people.

“We don’t want this to become a clear space for overseas interests to exploit. The state will take the lead in preserving it first,” he said during a press conference.

The Aloha State’s governor stressed the need to prevent exploitation and land theft: “You will be pretty poorly informed if you try to steal land from our people and then build here.”

Despite the clear stance, reports have emerged of developers reaching out to residents about acquiring land owned by families for generations. They have exploited the situation by purchasing land from desperate homeowners.

The fear is that without swift insurance payouts and adequate government aid, survivors might be compelled to sell to deep-pocketed buyers. These external parties could then rapidly gentrify neighborhoods and alter the character of the island.

Long-time Maui resident John Dimuro expressed his neighbors’ collective sentiment: “The government should just say ‘No, you’re not allowed to develop.’ Say no, just flat-out no.”

Jonah Lion, who runs an eco-cultural tourism company, affirmed the resolve of many islanders. He stressed: “No matter how much money you offer – no, we’re not selling. This is not for sale.”

Sterling Higa, executive director of the nonprofit Housing Hawaii’s Future, outlined the potential challenges that await affected residents.

“The real danger is all of this compensation to rebuild, if it comes at a later time, doesn’t necessarily cover the interim cost of rent,” he explained. “Many of us are concerned that in the immediate wake of a disaster, people are not always in the right state of mind to make such a consequential decision.”

Visit Disaster.news for more stories about the wildfires in Hawaii.

Watch this video that explains what happened during the wildfires on the island of Maui.

This video is from the Alex Hammer channel on Brighteon.com.