The deadly wildfires in Hawaii that killed over 100 people and drove thousands to flee were fueled by a

combination of land and atmospheric conditions known as "fire weather." A catastrophic fire devastated much of
the historic town of Lahaina on Maui, and hundreds of people were still missing.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said a few days after the fires started that there was "very little left" of Lahaina, where
over 2,700 structures had been burned in what has now become the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.

Nearly two weeks after the blazes first spread, more than 800 people were still missing, and many could be
children, Lahaina's mayor said.

"It is a product, in my estimation, of certainly global warming combined with drought, combined with a super
storm, where we had a hurricane offshore several hundred miles, still generating large winds," Green told CNN

Several sacred building including the Pioneer Inn, which was reportedly Hawaii’s oldest continually operating
restaurant. The Pioneer Inn opened in 1901 and was once used by whalers who docked in Lahaina and drank at
the saloon

A state emergency proclamation authorized the deployment of National Guard troops and extended the state of
emergency. President Biden approved a federal disaster declaration on Thursday, Aug. 10.

Maui's warning sirens were not triggered as the fast-moving fires spread. Instead, the county used emergency
alerts sent to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations.

To further understand the devastating news I want to look at the fire from the perspective of a family living in
Lahina versus a tourist visiting the area

Ryan Cabrera, a 37-year-old Native Hawaiian from Lahaina, lost everything in an afternoon when he was
surrounded by smoke. He didn't know where his family would sleep that night. Meanwhile, Joshua Wang, a
53-year-old tourist in Maui, managed to book a same-day flight for his kids and retrieve his valuables from his
hotel room before most Lahaina locals were allowed to return.

Cabrera said the family initially attempted to drive out of his neighbourhood, but black smoke surrounded the
vehicle. They made a split-second decision to ditch the truck and run. By the time the family arrived at the next
neighbourhood, the fire began encroaching the area “within minutes,” he said.

“I was covered in dirt, ashes, my eyes, my mouth, everything. I was just so thirsty,” Cabrera, who entered a hotel
in search of water, said. “And there were hundreds of tourists drinking, having fun and not even caring.”

The evacuations revealed two distinct stories: one of Native Hawaiian locals facing confusion, loss, and limited
resources, and another of wealthy tourists with the means to reach safety and leave the devastation behind.

As of 27th August, there are 115 deaths however 400 hundred people are still missing and the devastating fire
continues to destroy homes, historical areas antique stores and schools have been destroyed and many have
lost their homes that have passed down generations People have lost their jobs families valuables and all the
memories and experiences they had.