Biden Activates Military to Battle Maui Fires

The fires are presenting ‘rapidly changing conditions,’ the adjutant general of the Hawaii National Guard said.

The hall of historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii.
President Joe Biden has directed federal military resources to the Hawaiian island of Maui to respond to raging wildfires that have killed dozens of people as of Thursday morning and devastated communities there.

Wildfire Devastates Hawaii’s Historic Lahaina Town

“I have ordered all available Federal assets on the Islands to help with response. The Hawaiian National Guard has mobilized Chinook Helicopters to help with fire suppression and search and rescue on the Island of Maui,” Biden said in a statement late Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy’s 3rd Fleet – responsible for operations in the region – will support the search, rescue and response efforts and the Marine Corps has provided Blackhawk helicopters to help fight fires there, Biden said.

The Department of Transportation will also coordinate commercial airlines to contribute to the evacuation effort, and the departments of Interior and Agriculture are preparing for recovery efforts once the fires have been quelled.

“I urge all residents to continue to follow evacuation orders, listen to the instructions of first responders and officials, and stay alert,” Biden said.

Local reports depict a state of destruction as a result of the flames, which witnesses have described as burning so hot that they appear white. Several communities have had to completely evacuate, including reports of locals having to flee into the sea to evade the swiftly advancing flames.

Record-setting heat this summer has led to wildfires that force mass evacuations in Greece, Portugal, Spain and several parts of Europe. Clouds of thick smoke from wildfires in Canada have swept across the U.S., creating dangerous air quality conditions.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the headquarters that oversees all U.S. military operations in the region, says the Army will also contribute Blackhawk and heavy-lift Chinook helicopters to help fight the fires. It is also preparing for further requests from the Hawaii National Guard and the state government.

“We offer deepest condolences to those families and communities that have been devastated by the destructive wildfires,” it said in a statement. “Our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Hawaii and with first responders as they fight the wildfires.”

Maui Fires Kill At Least 36, Thousands Race to Escape

The adjutant general of the local national guard, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, said in a statement late Wednesday that the fires are presenting “rapidly changing conditions.”
The historic town of Lahaina, a popular tourist destination, has been ravaged, with the remains of its historic buildings left blackened and charred as of late Wednesday. The town holds unique significance as the capital of the island kingdom of Hawaii in the mid 19th Century and a central port for the North Pacific whaling fleet.

A local charter helicopter pilot flew over the devastation and described it to Stars & Stripes as resembling a scene where “a bomb went off.”
“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that. We had tears in our eyes, the other pilots on board and the mechanics and me,” Richard Olsten told the paper. “We never thought we’d experience anything like this in our whole life.”

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke said on Wednesday that officials were still assessing the scope of the damage.
“It will be a long road to recovery,” she said at a press conference.