I’ve had some experience with fires over my life. A nearby pizza place burned down, a neighbor’s house destroyed, and a few wildfires that, fortunately, did not get out of control.
The Lahaina fires were not at all normal. Instead, they followed a pattern that is becoming more and more “normal”.
That is, FIRES start in multiple locations. Because there are so many, local fire departments - many of them staffed mostly with volunteers - are overwhelmed.
There are MULTIPLE failures:
Lack of warning sirens - not inoperative, but FORBIDDEN to be used. That, alone, cause the human loss of life to reach awful levels.
Lack of water - keep in mind, unlike fires in the western mainland USA, water is PLENTIFUL on Hawaii, both in the forests and other greenlands, but also in the nearby ocean (salt water can be used directly to put out fires). But, due to deliberate decision to refuse to release water, Lahaina burned - to the ground.
MULTIPLE locations of fire ignition. “Experts” are trying to tell us that these were the random occurrence of lightning strikes to drier areas. Horseshit! It was deliberate arson.
Blocking the roads out of the area. This was probably the major contributor to loss of life. Again, GOVERNMENT decision to blame.
Here is a report that addresses some of these issues, and makes a claim that appears to be possible, given pictures from the affected sites - not just Lahaina, but California, too. You look and decide for yourself.