Hell killed at least 99 people after racing from the out-of-town prairies to Lahaina last Tuesday. It destroyed or damaged more than 2,200 buildings, 86% of them residential, and caused damage estimated at $5.5 billion, officials said.
The scale of the fire, which charred a 5 square mile (13 square kilometer) area of the city in hours, combined with the logistical challenges of recovery, took its toll on many of Lahaina’s 13,000 residents. year-round, who also face the prospect of precious tourist dollars evaporating.
Even as donations poured in and Hawaii and federal authorities pledged vast resources to help the recovery, Kanamu Balinbin, a local football coach, took matters into his own hands, creating a relief camp where people who lost their homes and possessions could find water and food.
“I was devastated. I consider myself a strong leader, but it broke me,” Balinbin said of his emotions after witnessing the destruction. “That’s what keeps me going, helping people. A lot of us are at that point.”
He said some of the local frustration stemmed from the longstanding perception that Maui was not getting enough attention from the state government despite its strong tourism revenue.
Mary Kerstulovich, a Maui real estate agent who scouted for supplies and housing for evacuees, said there was finally a sense government relief was arriving a full week after the disaster, but she said Lahaina had still need a more effective plan to get goods.
“There’s still a lot of chaos. People still need supplies,” Kerstulovich said.
Keith Turi, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s deputy associate administrator for response and recovery, acknowledged the deep sense of loss felt by survivors, but said FEMA has a supply warehouse in Hawaii and is working with state and county officials to provide shelter and relief operations. .
“In the days immediately following something like this, there is a series of frustrations and challenges. But we believe that in coordination with our partners, we are well placed to provide this support,” Turi told reporters.
Adding to local frustration, few residents were allowed to return to Lahaina to view their properties. Maui County briefly eased restrictions but quickly suspended tours Monday after onlookers clogged streets used by rescuers, officials said. One person was arrested for trespassing.
Meanwhile, up to 20 cadaver dogs led search parties on a block-by-block search of the ash, covering about a quarter of the disaster area Monday night, Maui County Police Chief John Peltier.
Only three of the deceased had been officially identified as of Monday, Pelletier said, but stories about those who perished began to emerge from friends and relatives.
On fundraising website GoFundMe, relatives of Kevin and Saane Tanaka said Saane’s sister, her 7-year-old nephew and her parents were found in a burnt-out car near their home on Thursday morning.
“Words cannot express how devastating this is for the family,” the post said, noting that the Tanakas had no time to grieve after taking in more than a dozen other displaced relatives.
Another article describes how Joe Schilling – “Uncle Joe” to his adoptive family, the Bluhs – died while helping five elderly people escape from his housing complex.
“He was known as ‘Funcle Joe’ for a reason,” Akiva Bluh wrote. “Whether it was trips to hunt balls or staying up late while my parents were away so he could give us his famous sugar toast, he was always ready to act out of love. and kindness to me and my brothers.”
Officially, the cause of the fire remained under investigation, but The New York Times, citing interviews and video evidence, reported that the brush fire that spread through Lahaina started from a power line broken.
Hawaiian Electric Shelee Kimura did not address the cause of the fire during a press conference Monday night. The utility’s share price has plunged as it faces increasing scrutiny over whether its electrical equipment played a role in starting the blaze.
Kimura defended the company’s decision not to shut off power despite strong winds increasing the risk of downed lines, saying a shutdown could have cut firefighters’ water supply and harmed people who depend on it electrical medical equipment.
