Bright orange X’s on buildings signal search for bodies after deadly Maui fire. HR for human remains

The macabre task of counting the dead following a savage wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, became the focal point on Saturday as teams combed through the wreckage, identifying residences with a vibrant orange X to indicate a search for bodies, and marking them with HR if human remains were discovered.

The fire claimed the lives of at least 80 people as it roared through the historic town of Lahaina on Maui’s western shore. Survivors who narrowly escaped the blaze began to return to assess their personal losses as the surviving structures were marked.

Governor Josh Green, speaking with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Saturday, emphasized that their main focus was now on the tragic loss of human life.

Hundreds of homes were reduced to ashes in the disaster, compelling emergency services to arrange temporary accommodations for the fortunate survivors. Widespread communication breakdowns, with 30 cellular towers out of action, and lengthy power outages were additional challenges in the western part of the island. Authorities also cautioned that the death count might climb as the search went on.

Those who managed to escape were reflecting on their luck while mourning the loss of those who did not.

A harrowing account was shared by retired fire captain Geoff Bogar and his longtime friend Franklin Trejos, who tried to stay behind to assist others. As the flames approached, both had to flee. Trejos perished in the fire, and Bogar discovered his remains the following day.

Trejos had been an essential part of the Bogar family, and his loss was deeply mourned. “God took a really good man,” said Shannon Weber-Bogar.

Other stories of narrow escapes were shared, like Bill Wyland’s speedy exit on his motorcycle, navigating through terrifying scenes that he likened to a horror movie.

The calamity destroyed Wyland’s gallery and the works of 30 artists.

Efforts were being made to shelter as many as 4,500 displaced individuals. Aerial surveys identified 1,692 ruined structures, nearly all residential, and nine sunken boats in Lahaina Harbor.

These wildfires have become Hawaii’s deadliest natural catastrophe in years, even surpassing a 1960 tsunami. Unlike previous disasters, emergency sirens did not sound in time, and alerts may have been limited due to power and cellular failures.

Driven by dry weather and strong winds, the fires rapidly spread across the island, with the most destructive blaze leveling almost the entire town of Lahaina.

By Saturday, Front Street, once the vibrant center of Maui, was nearly abandoned, with some residents struggling to access their homes due to road closures and security checkpoints.

Residents were warned about potential water contamination and instructed to take caution when using running water.

Predicted to be the second-most expensive disaster in Hawaii’s history, the wildfire is also the deadliest in the U.S. since California’s Camp Fire in 2018.

Local hazard reports had previously identified the areas at risk, but the rapid advancement of the flames left many helpless. Limited firefighting resources may also have been a factor in the disaster’s scale.

People like Riley Curran, who witnessed the fire’s rapid escalation, emphasized that the speed of the flames likely overwhelmed any response efforts. He chillingly noted, “I’ve never seen one eat an entire town in four hours.”

The report on the disaster was contributed to by multiple writers from various locations and was part of Big Big News’s climate and environmental coverage, supported by several private foundations. The organization retains full responsibility for the content.

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• Maui County’s official website
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Hawaii’s hazard mitigation plan
• Big Big News climate and environmental coverage
• Karen Clark & Company’s disaster and risk modeling