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Our Rebel News team here in Maui visited a camp locals had set up. Alexa Lavoie and Lincoln Jay were actually here yesterday when they learned, through interviews with the residents, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was actually kicked out by these local folks.

Apparently, they didn't like how FEMA was trying to take control of things.

At the camp, they have a Starlink connection to the internet, which they've been using to fulfil orders at a makeshift pharmacy. They're doing a lot of things here at this camp run by locals.

Ezra Levant is on the ground in Maui, following the facts where they lead and sifting through the tragedy, conspiracy and heartbreak in the aftermath of a wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina.

FULL REPORT by @EzraLevant: https://t.co/JrYbRgdpyq pic.twitter.com/AlxFXPxyBv

— Rebel News USA (@RebelNews_USA) August 18, 2023

That connection to the internet is incredibly important. We forget how plugged in we are in society — what would you do if everything went down in Canada There was an outage at Rogers, one of the largest internet and cellphone providers in the country, and it was like the whole economy froze up.

Well, that's what's been going on here in Maui for more than a week.

Something interesting that I learned from a husband and wife who had come to check their email at the Starlink WiFi hotspot told us how in the early days, they received messages from an airplane flying overhead.

A local from Lahaina, Hawaii, tells Rebel News' Alexa Lavoie that the failure of officials to use the island's emergency alert system resulted in the deaths of residents fleeing the massive wildfire, which ripped through the Maui resort town.https://t.co/zwAWBTWmjC

— Rebel News USA (@RebelNews_USA) August 18, 2023

They said the airplane had loudspeakers, and that it delivered messages like 'this road is open at 6 a.m.' or another about where to go to get services.

Another thing I've noticed here is all of the Hawaiian flags, many turned upside down as a sign of distress. There's a lot of pride in the area. The people treat this camp as a sort of community hub, with meetings, food, medicine and even pet care all happening here.

It's become an alternate government in a way, and is very charitable and loving in the Hawaiian tradition. If it wasn't for the devastation in the surrounding area, you wouldn't know the tragedy has hit until you talk to the people and realize what has happened just a few miles down the way you can see.

In Lahaina we met local citizens running a relief camp. They wisely refused FEMA’s offer to “take over”. We listened to what they really needed and @lincolnmjay and I drove to Kahului to buy them. I’m in for the first $1,000 and we’re going to crowdfund $25,000. Details to come. pic.twitter.com/mf15ar7lJ3

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) August 18, 2023

We'll have reports to come from where the fire did destroy the area, but I just wanted to share that story of communicating in the early days after a disaster, about the local response to the FEMA incursion and about the Hawaiian pride.

You can see all our reports at TheTruthAboutMaui.com. There, you can help chip into our citizen journalism, and we've also provided some information about how you can help donate to charity to help relief efforts.