Blaring warning sirens throughout Maui failed to activate as the apocalyptic wildfires swept through the island this week, officials confirmed Friday as residents returned to what was left of their homes.
Blaring warning sirens throughout Maui failed to activate as the apocalyptic wildfires swept through the island, officials said Friday.
The Hawaii Emergency Services Administration confirmed that the emergency system it tests every month in preparation for a crisis was not turned on as the flames raced toward residents.
Instead, HI-EMA sent out alerts via mobile devices. radio and television, and the county’s opt-in resident alert system — which may have never arrived due to widespread power and cellular outages across Maui.
“Neither Maui nor HI-EMA activated warning sirens on Maui during the wildfire incident,” the agency said in a statement.
“The sirens are used to alert the public to seek additional information; they do not necessarily indicate an evacuation.”
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said it wasn’t clear why the sirens weren’t activated, but that the fire destroyed much of the equipment.
Many survivors who didn’t receive or notice the alerts said they didn’t realize the danger they were in until they saw the inferno or heard explosions nearby.
