Over the course of the last week, what started as a small brush fire in Lahainaluna Road soon caused thousands of millions of dollars worth of damage in just a few hours. Many people were forced to evacuate their homes, at least 2,000 structures collapsed, and the death toll has recently reached over 100 people.

So, what caused such a disaster? With hurricane Dora coming through as close as 500 miles south of the islands, the wind speeds reached up to 80 mph. Pair the strong winds with dry conditions and a power line and the beginnings of the wildfires start to get a little clearer.

The fires started around 6:30 a.m., yet fire officials declare it 100 percent contained, and quickly spiral out of control by 3 p.m, bringing road closures and evacuations in its wake. By 10 p.m the Coast Guard proceeded to get involved to rescue people escaping the fires by running to the Pacific Ocean’s shores. 

Fires were calming down over the course of the next day, aided with military helicopters dousing them in over 100,000 gallons of water, however the damage had already been done. Over 10,000 people are without power as of Aug. 11, 2023, alongside that, thousands of people have been sent elsewhere in Hawaii. 

Recovery from such a disaster will take time, but we can likely expect better wildfire prevention in Hawaii moving forward.