You’ve no doubt seen the news lately and know that one of the most famed surf spots is burning right now. Wildfires fueled by winds from a nearby hurricane have caused massive devastation to the island of Maui. The fire that tore across the coastal Maui town and caught many by surprise has already claimed dozens of lives — a toll expected to climb — and burned more than 1,000 buildings. It has turned a centuries-old hamlet beloved by travelers and locals alike into a charred, desolate landscape.
The devastation has resonated worldwide in part because tourists from around the globe flock to Maui to enjoy its white sand beaches, including many who stop to visit the old whaling village and capital of the former Hawaiian kingdom. Thousands fled Maui after the fires rousted them from their resort hotels and sent them scrambling from their sun chairs on Tuesday. But for thousands of people who call Lahaina home, there is no flight to catch and no home to return to. They’ve simply lost everything.
The fires have claimed many lives, destroyed residences and have left people with nothing. Most of the town of Lahaina has been destroyed. Maui’s wildfire appears to be one of the deadliest in modern US history. The fire already ranks as the second deadliest in the past 100 years, trailing California’s Camp fire, which killed 85 people in November 2018, according to CalFire.
Want to help those affected by the Maui wildfires? Here’s how. Make a donation to the American Red Cross:
Click here to visit the American Red Cross website
https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-to-lahaina-families-affected-by-the-wildfire
