Maui Fires
Background
Lahaina, Maui has burned down.
The towns population of 13,000 people are nearly all homeless
Over 100 are known dead and 500-1000 are suspected dead.
The dead includes many children who were sent home from school that day due to a wildfire near their school, and high wind advisory.
The children were mostly home alone because most families have both parents working.
The power, phones and internet were turned off that morning. Many children and elderly died in their homes as there were no evacuations and the disaster sirens weren't turned on.
Lahaina is on the Western dry side of the island.
All Hawaiian islands have green lush eastern sides and dry hot western sides. Lahaina is on the dry, hot west side.
But Maui has a huge forest which grows right up to the border of the town. A huge brush fire resulted in a forest fire in this forest which surged towards the sea Tuesday night and burned down the town overnight.
All the Hawaiian Islands have been hit by unseasonal high winds this week because of Hurricane Dora, a category 4 Hurricane which is currently 500 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, but it’s strength has fanned the flames of wildfires all over the Island Chain.
This brush fire and forest fire which quickly swept through Lāhainā Maui overnight, is believed to have been propelled by these winds
The fire department was quickly overwhelmed , as was Lahaina, the fire surged through the town as its residents slept.
Please help the families directly
Right now Red Cross and FEMA are on Maui, but they are trying to figure out what to do. But meanwhile they are stopping aid and donations from getting to the people while they figure out how to do it properly.
Donations of food, water, clothing and even baby formula are being held at the docks and airports until they can figure out what to do.
I know this sounds crazy, because they should know exactly what to do.
But people on Maui are on social media telling the truth about this and its a mess.
So I have found a list that local people on Maui are vetting and compiling of ways to help people their directly.
Its a list of 800 plus families which have started Go Fund Me pages or created other online or electronic methods of receiving aide directly.
Direct to families please!
Please reblog this post to spread word.
Thank you