Residents’ immediate Response to the 2023 Maui Wildfire

This project investigates human decision-making and the role of infrastructure during the rapid and devastating Maui wildfire, which was fueled by a hurricane in August 2023. The study is driven by three key factors: Maui’s significant tourist population, which may react differently to warnings and evacuation instructions; the failure to activate any of the island's 80 warning sirens; and widespread cell and power outages that severely limited access to official alerts. The research team analyzed data on residents' behavioral responses, focusing on varying levels of warning information and the impact of critical infrastructure failures, such as damage to transportation, power, and communication networks.

A survey of 660 survivors highlighted the catastrophic effects of these failures, with only 20% receiving warnings via telecommunications due to power and signal outages, 51% of them saw the wildfire coming, 24.5% saw others evacuated, 13% face-to-face warning from peers. Despite the lack of clear evacuation instructions, many participants displayed remarkable resourcefulness in determining evacuation routes, destinations, modes of transport, and preparation. However, that only 16.2% of people have a family emergency plan and 20% of respondents took more than 30 minutes to prepare for the evacuation indicates the gaps in preparedness level. While 75% of respondents evacuated by own vehicle, 13% of them evacuated by foot. 12% went to a public shelter, 25% went to a public place, 27% went to a relative's house, and 26% went to a friend's house.

The wildfire experience significantly influenced residents' risk perception, preparedness, and information-seeking behaviors. These findings provide valuable insights for improving disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation strategies. Additionally, the team developed an agent-based evacuation model using the collected data to evaluate and optimize warning systems and planning strategies, offering critical guidance for future emergency management policies.