Edison football team cancels trip to Maui due to wildfires: Can’t imagine what they are going through

Edison High School’s football team had their plans for the start of the 2023 season upset by the devastating wildfires ravaging the island of Maui, Hawaii. Two consecutive games, initially set to occur on Maui, have been cancelled due to the escalating wildfire situation.

In the original schedule, Edison’s team was set to compete against Baldwin High School in Wailuku on the following Saturday, and then against Lahainaluna High School in Lahaina on August 18. The team had been prepped to leave on the Thursday when news of the wildfires disturbingly altered their plans.

The Maui wildfires have necessitated the evacuation of a significant number of residents in the affected areas. It’s a desperate situation, with just one shelter accommodating over a thousand evacuees. Kahului Airport, situated in Maui, has become a sanctuary for approximately 2,000 travelers who were either newly arrived on the island or had their outgoing flights cancelled as a consequence of the fires.

Coach Jeff Grady of the Chargers displayed compassion for the Maui community presently grappling with the emergency, noting that considerations regarding football seemed trivial in contrast. Consequently, with the games in Maui cancelled, Edison’s team is now looking for alternative opponents to fill the vacant slots in their schedule, at Weeks 0, 2, and 5.

In contrast, Villa Park High School’s team has remained unscathed by the wildfires, and their season is set to begin optimistically. The team has been situated in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, untouched by the wildfires.

Another unaffected team is Long Beach Poly, stationed on the Big Island. Despite the surrounding wildfire crisis, their Friday game against Konawaena remained in place. As of Wednesday’s reporting, there was no threat of immediate wildfire spread to that area. The diverging outcomes of these teams underline the far-reaching impact of the Maui wildfires.