Maui officials defend decision not to sound sirens during wildfire

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden disembark from Marine One at Delaware Air National Guard Base en route to Wilmington, in New Castle, Delaware, U.S., August 4, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

LAHAINA, Hawaii (Reuters) -Maui's emergency management chief on Wednesday defended his agency's decision against sounding sirens during last week's deadly wildfire amid questions about whether doing so might have saved lives.

Herman Andaya, administrator of the Maui County Emergency Management Agency, said sirens in Hawaii are used to alert people to tsunamis. Using it during the fire might have led people to evacuate toward the danger, he told reporters.