Maui Wildfires: Lahaina Struck by 'Near-riot' as 100 People Clash With Police After Town is Temporarily Reopened and Death Toll Rises to 80
Aug. 12 2023, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Roughly 100 people clashed with Hawaiian police this week in Lahaina after authorities temporarily reopened the only road to the historic town amid the devastating Maui wildfires, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In the latest development to come as the death toll from the wildfires rose to 80 on Friday, police reportedly opened the road to Lahaina at 12 PM on Friday.
But the police were then forced to close the road five hours later after natives and visitors to the historic Hawaiian town almost started to riot.
According to Daily Mail, the near-riots started when authorities attempted to limit access to certain parts of the wildfire-ravaged town.
Maui County officials confirmed the near-riots took place in a statement issued on Friday evening. The authorities also urged those returning to the town to remain civil and respect the parts of the town closed off by police.
“The road to Lahaina was opened for local residents to provide medication and supplies to their families that remain in homes on the west side and in need of such assistance outside of the fire/biohazard zone,” the local authority said in their statement on Friday.
“Many people are parking on the Lahaina Bypass and walking into the areas Makai of the bypass, which is locked down due to hazardous conditions and biohazards” the statement continued. “This zone has been declared by Mayor Bissen as an authorized personnel area only, and those caught within this zone will be escorted out and may be arrested.”
“This area is an active police scene, and we need to preserve the dignity of lives lost and respect their surviving family.”
Meanwhile, 80 people were confirmed dead from the wildfires that raged across Maui on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hundreds more reportedly remain missing and 14,000 people face displacement as rescue crews work around the clock to find those lost in the devastating disaster.
Democratic House Rep. Jill Tokuda, who represents Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, told CNN on Saturday morning that the state “underestimated” the “lethality and the quickness of fire” that ravaged the island earlier this week.
House Rep. Tokuda also admitted that the state’s emergency alert system – which relied on cell phone alerts – failed due to the fact that there was little cell service in the area at the time of the fires.
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“It's not like hurricane force winds are unknown to Hawaii, or dry brush, or red flag conditions,” Tokuda explained. “We saw this before in [Hurricane] Lane.”
“We did not learn our lesson from Lane – that brush fires could erupt as a result of churning hurricane winds below us to the south,” she continued. “We have got to make sure that we do better.”
As RadarOnline.com reported, the wildfires started on Tuesday and continued through Wednesday.
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80 people have been confirmed dead, hundreds more remain missing, and thousands may be permanently displaced due to the destruction the fires caused.
"People jumping in the ocean to escape the flames, being rescued by the Coast Guard,” one Lahaina resident said this week as the fires were burning. “All boat owners are being asked to rescue people.”
“It's apocalyptic.”
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