Lahaina, one of Hawaii’s most significant towns, has been destroyed. More than 100 residents died in and because of the fire.

There are still many questions, as Hawaii now must search for ways forward with, first, survival and then, rebuilding a new town.

As the crisis of global warming bears down hard on the Hawaiian islands, we are becoming something of a proving ground or a real-time demonstration of global warming’s disastrous effects.

The overarching crux or basis for Maui’s crisis is global warming and a refusal to change as Hawaii’s weather grows hotter.

A new Associated Press report detailed how Hawaii is a target.

“From 1953 to 2003, Hawaii averaged one federally declared disaster of any type every two years,” according to the analysis of FEMA records. But now it averages more than two a year, about a four-fold increase, the data analysis shows.

“It’s even worse for wildfires. Hawaii went from averaging one federally declared fire disaster every nine years or so, to one a year on average since 2004,” according to the AP.

Experts saw a big decline in plantation agriculture and a big decline in ranching. Millions of acres of crops have been replaced with grasslands that burn easily and fast.

Last week at a news conference, Gov. Josh Green focused on recovery without getting into any specifics.

“We want to protect all the people in Maui. We are going to support the economy of Maui. We intend to house people who are going to be rebuilding West Maui. Billions of dollars will flow in. I am contemplating a works project not unlike the (President Franklin) Roosevelt works project so we can have workers for the economy when we are rebuilding,” Green said.

Yes, that will cost millions, and Green’s promises are fueled by indications from President Joe Biden that the federal administration will be backing Maui.

Lahaina’s tragedy is still moving. Deadline forced this column to be filed last week, but events continue to impact results of the fire.

The fire, the deaths and destruction reverberate with political implications. Last week Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced that Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya would be stepping down after defending his decision not to sound sirens to warn people on Maui of the fast-moving blaze. It remains to be seen if that is the end of investigations.

Early on, Green said he was asking for an investigation of how the fire was handled. The Democrat governor is asking Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez to perform a “comprehensive review” of the fire, Hawaii’s deadliest natural disaster since statehood.

Lopez later said an independent third party would conduct the probe, explaining: “Having a third-party conduct the review will ensure accountability and transparency and reassure the people of Hawaii that all of the facts will be uncovered.”

Moving on from the Lahaina tragedy will have its own implications. Will critics say the investigation was rushed? What about the victims — their wounds will last, questions can become suspicions and who will speak for Lahaina’s hoped-for rebirth?

The way forward will require, as the Maui police chief repeatedly said, “patience, prayers and perseverance.”

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.