Artwork by Elysse Weber

The Banyan tree; important to the people of Maui because of its age and history. It reached 150 years old before it turned to ashes in the wildfire.

Surrounded by the waters of the North Pacific, sits Maui, Hawaii. Maui has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches that also hold some of the most marvelous creatures. Something that makes Maui so special is the people who call it home, and the culture within. Maui is a place loved by its people; however, they did not have a clue that their home would be taken from them in such a short amount of time. 

Maui has suffered detrimental damage to its land, its community and the people who live there. On the morning of Aug. 8, 2023, several wildfires occurred across the tropical island. What caused this? According to the Associated Press, the wildfires were caused by fallen power lines that created sparks in contact with dry grass. Because Maui is located in hurricane territory, the winds escalated up to 67 mph, causing Maui to go up in flames. This took place in Lahaina, which is located on Maui’s west peninsula. This area turned into ashes, as 115 people lost their lives. It is said to be one of the deadliest wildfires in the last 100 years, causing over 3,000 buildings to go up into flames. The fire began as a small bush but then spread rapidly, all in 15 minutes. 

The emergency services had no way of getting a hold of the town, so the fire astonished the people of Lahaina, which is the main cause of most deaths. Many are still unaccounted for; police say that it is possible these people were cremated in the flames, which is why there is no sign of them. 

The Maui wildfires are placed up to the top 10 deadliest wildfires since the year 1871. The homes of civilians were taken, as well as pets, family members and more. As this incident is slowly becoming a part of the past, conspiracy theories are starting to spiral. Some question why the electricians would keep the power on knowing of the high winds, leading to conspiracies that the fire was intentionally started. The beautiful Maui is a perfect piece of land that could be used for its size and resources; however, the people of Lahaina know this place as their home. Why should it be taken from them? Despite these conspiracies, nothing changes the fact that their homes are gone, and they need time, money and support to rebuild what they lost.