Some Lahaina residents return to homes destroyed by wildfire

For the first time since the deadly wildfire that destroyed the Hawaii town of Lahaina, some residents are returning to what they used to call home. On Monday, Sept. 25, authorities opened part of the area the wildfire destroyed, allowing some residents their first look at the aftermath.

The Aug. 8 wildfire killed at least 97 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, most of which were homes. Since the fire, the area has been closed to everyone except authorized workers.

Monday, Sept. 25, marked the first time some residents were given the chance to see what was left of their homes. Darryl Oliveira, the interim administrator for the Maui Emergency Management Agency, said he wanted to give residents an opportunity to reflect.

“I think initially, you know, people who haven’t been in here since the fire are taken aback by the amount and extent of the destruction,” Oliveira said. “Talking to one property owner, he’s like, ‘Darryl, there’s no wood, nothing is here from our home.’”

While residents were allowed to see what may have survived the flames, officials urged them not to sift through the ruins, fearing it might stir up toxic dusts. The first zone to open for supervised reentry included about two dozen plots of land in northern Lahaina.

The damage from the wildfire as a whole was so extensive that officials said it will take at least a decade to rebuild.