They were alone in a fight to survive. Maui residents had moments to make life-or-death choices

Engulfed in a battle for survival, the inhabitants of Maui faced critical, split-second decisions that would mean life or death. As the sun was masked by a thick haze of smoke and trees were licked by fierce flames, winds howled, and heat bore down relentlessly. When a power outage persisted, Mike Cicchino ventured to purchase a generator but quickly realized that his neighborhood had transformed into a chaotic scene reminiscent of a war zone.

Describing the sudden chaos, he recounted seeing people in sheer panic, clutching their children, shouting, and scrambling into their vehicles. The ensuing period was a terrifying and narrow escape window from one of the most devastating natural calamities the nation had witnessed in years.

No warning systems were present, no authorities guiding people; everyone was left to fend for themselves and their loved ones. They had to decide quickly whether to stay or flee, with blinding smoke, surrounding flames, exploding cars, fallen power lines, and fire raining down.

The wildfire claimed at least 96 lives, marking the deadliest in over a century in the U.S., and officials anticipate the death toll will climb.

Moments before Cicchino turned his car, an ominous alert was issued about the unpredictable brush fire in Lahaina. Erratic winds and flying embers made controlling the fire’s course difficult, and it could reach homes within minutes, according to Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea.

In a panic, Cicchino returned home and urgently told his wife they needed to evacuate immediately. They fled with their dogs but were directed to Front Street due to roadblocks.

Others, like Kehau Kaauwai, experienced tornado-like winds that ripped roofs off houses. The gray smoke soon turned black, engulfing everything. Kaauwai grabbed her belongings and fled, never to see her home again.

Traffic was at a crawl, people were removing debris, and dangers lurked everywhere. A stranger’s guidance may have saved Kaauwai’s life. On Front Street, chaos reigned with people in panic, crying, screaming, and honking.

Bill Wyland, an art gallery owner, described his harrowing escape on a Harley Davidson, feeling the heat scorching him. Others abandoned their cars and ran on foot, gagging on toxic smoke.

A desperate situation unfolded as the road became jammed. The sense of dread grew as people felt they were driving into a deadly trap. Cicchino and his wife abandoned their car and ran, losing some of their dogs in the process, amid exploding propane tanks and cars sounding like detonating bombs.

The sea was the last resort for many, including Cicchino and his wife. The choice was stark: burn or potentially drown.

Official warnings were absent, leaving residents to rely on intuition, friends, or neighbors. Desperate attempts to escape ensued, with some abandoning cars and fleeing on foot towards the beach, with flaming debris flying through the air.

Survivors like Cicchino and others spent hours moving between sea and shore, crouching behind walls, and immersing themselves in water to escape falling flames.

The Coast Guard was alerted at 5:45 p.m. and managed to rescue some individuals, guided by the flashlights of cellphones.

The traumatic experiences left survivors tormented by nightmares and guilt over the choices they made. The emotional scars are profound, with some like Anne Landon unable to shake the horrors of that day and the ash-covered memories of neighbors who did not make it out alive.

Contributions to this report were made by Big Big News reporters Claire Rush, Audrey McAvoy, Andrew Selsky, Haven Daley, and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher.

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