The 2023 Maui wildfires and the destruction of Lahaina

In the hours before the fire engulfed Lahaina, Maui County officials failed to activate the sirens that would have warned residents,^[5] and the head of the county's emergency management agency resigned after criticism of that decision.^[6] Weeks after the fire, hundreds of people were still unaccounted for while officials worked to identify the remains,^[7][8] and the count of missing fell as the search went on.^[9] The last of the 100 known victims was identified in January 2024.^[10]

Maui County sued Hawaiian Electric, accusing it of negligence,^[11] and the utility acknowledged that its power lines started a fire but faulted county firefighters for declaring it contained and leaving, only for a second fire to break out.^[12] President Joe Biden toured the burn zone and promised federal help "for as long as it takes,"^[13] and Gov. Josh Green vowed to keep the land "in local people's hands" as Maui rebuilt.^[14]

Residents began returning to the sites of their destroyed homes seven weeks after the fire,^[15] and officials urged tourists to stay away before inviting them back to West Maui, though some residents were still struggling.^[16][17]