On August 8, a deadly wildfire hit the island of Maui. Fueled by overly dry vegetation, an ongoing drought, and strong winds from Hurricane Dora, the wildfires raced through the island, faster than firefighters could contain them. The most serious blaze swept into Lahaina and destroyed nearly every building in the historic town.
At least 2,200 buildings were damaged or destroyed, nearly all of them residential. The full death toll may not be known for many months but there are at least 97 confirmed deceased. Officials are heavily depending on DNA analysis to identify the dead because the intense temperatures of the raging fires left little behind.
It has now been declared the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century and the worst natural disaster that Hawaii has ever faced. The road to recovery will be long, but today International Relief Teams' focus is on helping the victims of this terrible tragedy by providing the resources that are needed now. Thanks to our amazing donors and working through our long-time partners,International Relief Teams has been providing water, hygiene kits, and food to those who are suffering and in need.
Below: Our rapid-response partners are unloading aid provided by International Relief Teams.
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