LAHAINA, HAWAII
In early August 2023 – a series of wildfires broke out in the U.S. state of Hawaii, predominantly on the island of Maui. The wind-driven fires prompted evacuations and caused widespread damage in the town of Lahaina on Maui’s northwest coast. The proliferation of the wildfires was attributed to dry, gusty conditions created by a strong high-pressure area north of Hawaii and Hurricane Dora to the south.
An emergency declaration was signed on August 8, authorizing several actions, including activation of the Hawaii National Guard, appropriate actions by the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Administrator of Emergency Management, and the expenditure of state general revenue funds for relief of conditions created by the fires. By August 9, the state government of Hawaii issued a state of emergency for the entirety of the state. On August 10, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a federal major disaster declaration. The fires prompted mass evacuations of thousands of residents and visitors from Lāhaina, Kāʻanapali, Kīhei, and Kula. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that they had rescued 17 people who had jumped into the sea in Lahaina to escape the devastating fires.
Ambrey was able to support the evacuation of families in Hawaii from the beaches following the outbreak of fires on the island of Maui. The speed and diligence shown by all the response teams who worked tirelessly over a 48-hour period alongside the United States Coast Guard was incredible. Several sleepless nights later we were sent a photo from one of the families, thanking us for the evacuation support. They will never know who we are or what we did, that doesn’t matter, the sense of achievement and purpose is something you cannot forget.
Joshua Hutchinson, Managing Director of Ambrey Risk Analytics & Loss Prevention.