As the deadliest U.S. wildfire in almost a century claims 93 lives in Maui, Hawaii, and the death toll is anticipated to grow as search efforts continue, local churches are stepping forward to aid despite having suffered substantial losses themselves.
The fast-moving blaze has destroyed the historic resort town of Lahaina, causing an estimated $5.5 billion in damages, and burning over 2,100 acres, according to Reuters, which said the death toll had reached 93 on Saturday, according to the Maui County website, surpassing the previous record of 85 deaths in a 2018 fire in Paradise, California.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has warned that the death toll could increase as more victims are discovered. Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier stated that dogs trained to detect bodies had covered only 3% of the search area.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that more than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed in Lahaina.
Residents questioned the state’s emergency notification systems, as sirens intended to warn of natural disasters never sounded, and power and cellular outages hampered other alerts, according to the newswire. Officials said a terrifying mix of elements, such as failures in the communication network and wind gusts reaching 80 miles per hour, made coordination almost impossible.
A fire in Kula, 35 miles from Lahaina, caused frantic evacuations after power was knocked out in Lahaina. The fire grew larger and destroyed the town, leaving some residents with little warning.
Despite the destruction, the historic Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina remained untouched, with viewers praising the divine intervention
. Pastor Kawi Keahi and his wife, Shalia, lost their home and the King’s Chapel in Lahaina, and spoke of escaping the blaze and helping others. The sky was dark black, and people were walking around, feeling like they were giving up.
Pastor Keahi and Shalia are expressing their gratitude for the support of their churches in Kahului and Kahana, Maui, and California.
They are working to gather supplies and provide shelters for those displaced by the fires. King Cathedral in Maui has set up a relief fund for displaced people, while Harvest Christian Fellowship has set up a fund to help the Maui-based congregation and others.
World Help, a Christian humanitarian group, is working with local partners in Lahaina to assess areas of greatest need and provide assistance. FEMA Director Deanne Criswell said 150 people are on the ground, with additional search teams arriving soon. Officials have secured 1,000 hotel rooms and over 1,400 people have been taken in at emergency shelters.