Maui firefighters describe their harrowing efforts to battle the blaze that destroyed the town of Lahaina. The FDA rejects a drug that would have been the first needle-free alternative to EpiPens. And surging olive oil prices are leading to thefts.
Here’s what to know today.
Fighting ‘the beast’: Firefighters recall the desperate quest to save Lahaina
On the morning of Aug. 8, just before 9 a.m., Maui County declared a brush fire in Lahaina, Hawaii, 100% contained. Firefighters stuck around the site for several hours after, watching for flare-ups and waiting for utility crews to fix downed power lines. At 2:18 p.m., firefighters left the scene, a lawyer representing Maui County said. Not even an hour later, they got a new report of a brush fire in the area they had just left.
That fire would go on to incinerate Lahaina.
There is no official account of how firefighters handled the Aug. 8 wildfires that left at least 97 people dead, destroyed much of Lahaina and wrecked more than 2,000 homes and buildings. NBC News spoke with seven Maui firefighters who helped reconstruct the harrowing race to hold back the inferno and save residents’ lives. They faced catastrophic winds and blinding smoke, car-melting heat and hydrants that ran dry. They described their near-death escapes and their snap decisions on where to fight and when to retreat — even while their own homes burned.
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Reporter Jon Schuppe weaves together anecdotes of what happened that devastating day and how people who were on the front lines are coping more than a month later. Read the full special report here.
A rare rejection from the FDA
Drugmaker ARS Pharmaceuticals plans to appeal the Food and Drug Administration’s request for additional data after the agency’s rejection of the drug Neffy, the company said in a statement late last night. The epinephrine nasal spray would have been the first needle-free alternative to epinephrine autoinjectors like EpiPens. Epinephrine is highly effective in reversing anaphylaxis, the most severe type of allergic reaction.
The FDA’s rejection is rare; the agency usually approves drugs recommended by its committees. In May, Neffy was recommended for approval for use by children and adults. But one FDA advisory committee member who voted against Neffy said testing the drug raises thorny ethical questions.
Zelenskyy tells U.N. countries, ‘Evil cannot be trusted’
In a somber and, at times, blistering address to the U.N. General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked other countries to help hold the line against Moscow “as mass destruction is gaining momentum.” “The goal of the present war against Ukraine is to turn our land, our people, our lives, our resources into a weapon against you, against the international rules-based order,” he said. Zelenskyy’s in-person appearance in Midtown Manhattan yesterday showed a direct diplomatic approach with allies, partners and other world governments.
In his own speech, President Joe Biden urged world leaders not to abandon Ukraine.
Some Republicans say a shutdown is inevitable
Republican divisions in the House were apparent yesterday when conservative hardliners prevented debate on a military funding bill and GOP leaders abandoned a vote to avert a shutdown at the end of the month. Now, some Republicans say a shutdown is seeming more and more likely. “I do not” see a way to prevent it, Rep. Ralph Norman said.
Norman, who joined four other Republicans in voting against the military funding bill, said that conservatives want assurances on a “top line” spending level that Congress will stick to before they agree to pass any full-year funding bills. Other conservatives want House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to follow through on an agreement about non-defense discretionary spending that he made at the beginning of the year.
But even if Republicans can reach an agreement on spending, the bills they are fighting over have no chance of becoming law.
The mystery of the missing fighter jet
It could be months before we know why an F-35 stealth fighter jet went missing over the weekend over South Carolina. After a pilot ejected from the craft on Sunday, Joint Base Charleston asked for the public’s help to find it. The next day, the base announced that law enforcement located a debris field a two-hour drive away.
But how exactly did the jet lose communications? And why did the pilot eject? There are several possibilities. Here’s what we know — and what we have yet to find out.
Today’s Talker: The search for new Taylor Swift songs was ruined by…
… an apparent glitch on Google, fans reported. Swifties eager to learn the titles of previously unreleased songs to be included in her upcoming “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” album were supposed to be able to find out through a series of searches. Instead, they were met with technical difficulties. Add this to the list of things the singer’s fans have crashed.
Politics in Brief
Impeachment inquiry: The White House slammed the timing of the House Oversight Committee’s first Biden impeachment hearing, accusing the GOP of using the probe as a stunt while a potential government shutdown nears.
Hunter Biden: The president’s son will plead not guilty to felony gun charges, his lawyers said in a new court filing, while also arguing that he should not have to appear in person for his arraignment.
Pennsylvania: Democrats retook a one-seat majority in the state House of Representatives with the victory of nonprofit worker Lindsay Powell in an Allegheny County special election.
Staff Pick: A dazzling nighttime display
If you weren’t in Montana, South Dakota, Wisconsin or Minnesota on Monday night (I’m guessing that’s most of us), then you missed out on the special appearance of northern lights, or aurora borealis. Luckily, videos and photos will transport you there. Enjoy the calming scene before your day gets too hectic. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor
In Case You Missed It
- Danny Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce less than two weeks after he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rape.
- A New England Patriots fan who died at Sunday’s home game was punched in the head twice before the medical emergency, a witness said.
- A woman delivering packages for Amazon was seriously injured when a rattlesnake bit her at a residence in Palm City, Florida, authorities said.
- Fentanyl was stored on top of playmats at a Bronx day care, causing three kids to get sick and killing a 1-year-old, according to an unsealed complaint in the Southern District of New York.
- Olive oil prices have spiked to record highs as major producing countries contend with “extremely dry weather” — and it’s driving up thefts of cooking oil.
- Paramount+ has removed one of Russell Brand’s comedy specials after several women accused him of sexual assault.
- Tim Ballard, the anti-sex trafficking activist whose exploits inspired the movie “Sound of Freedom,” resigned from the nonprofit child rescue group he founded amid an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, according to a news report.
Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Whether you’re hanging out in your backyard, heading out on a camping trip or enjoying a day at the beach, you’re probably taking your favorite tunes along with you. Read about these staff-favorite Bluetooth speakers. Various options got the thumbs up for being lightweight, affordable and for delivering crisp sound.
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