Maui's top emergency official is out after failing to sound sirens as fires approached
NBCAPR 2023
Climate change as well as a long history of land grabs are primary contributors to the devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina. In the 20th century, wealthy non-Hawaiians invaded the land to profit off of Hawaii’s resources. Exploitive land use patterns, invasive grasses, and climate change-catalyzed droughts caused this horrific tragedy.
There was certainly a confluence of underlying issues that contributed to the tragic wildfires in Maui, but climate change is far from being the main culprit if it is a cause at all. The resignation of Andaya is symbolic of deep institutional issues within Maui County's governance. While the corporate media looks to blame Lahaina’s tragedy on climate change, the public must focus on leaders and institutions who failed their communities.