Maui Fires: County Emergency Manager Resigns

• Herman Andaya, the Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator — who defended his decision to not sound outdoor sirens while a deadly fire ravaged the island — has resigned from his position effective immediately. Associated Press
• Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced Andaya’s resignation in a news release Thursday, and the now-former administrator cited health reasons for his decision. This also follows close scrutiny of Maui's wildfire response. Hawaiinewsnow
• On Wednesday, Andaya reaffirmed his decision to not activate alarms during the devastating wildfires in Lahaina that have now caused at least 111 confirmed deaths. No evacuation sirens sounded when the Aug. 8 fires broke out. NBC (LR: 2 CP: 4)
• Andaya argued that sounding the sirens would have instinctively alerted people to “mauka” (mountainside), since “the public is trained to seek higher ground in the event the sirens are sounded,” as the sirens have been primarily utilized in tsunamis and storms. CBS (LR: 2 CP: 5)
• Instead, Andaya sent out alerts via mobile devices, radio, television, and the county alert system despite widespread power outages. News outlets have questioned his experience prior to assuming his role as Maui County's emergency manager in 2017. Daily Mail (LR: 5 CP: 5)
• The Maui fire has been logged as the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, obliterating the economic and cultural hub of Lahaina. The official death toll is still rising as officials search amidst the more than 2K burned homes and businesses and more than 1K residents remaining unaccounted for. CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)

Left narrative:

• Climate change as well as a long history of land grabs are primary contributors to the devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina. In the 20th century, wealthy non-Hawaiians invaded the land to profit off of Hawaii’s resources. Exploitive land use patterns, invasive grasses, and climate change-catalyzed droughts caused this horrific tragedy.
  Time (LR: 2 CP: 5)

Right narrative:

• There was certainly a confluence of underlying issues that contributed to the tragic wildfires in Maui, but climate change is far from being the main culprit if it is a cause at all. The resignation of Andaya is symbolic of deep institutional issues within Maui County's governance. While the corporate media looks to blame Lahaina’s tragedy on climate change, the public must focus on leaders and institutions who failed their communities.
  Rebel News