WAILUKU—Owners and renters who lost their homes and businesses in the deadly Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire will be allowed escorted visits to their properties on a zone-by-zone basis starting Sept. 25.
Maui County on Monday will announce the first zones deemed safe enough for visits, with reentry passes to be processed Sept. 22 at the Lahaina Civic Center, according to Maui Emergency Management Agency interim Administrator Darryl Oliveira.
The wind-whipped blaze killed at least 115 people and destroyed over 2, 200 structures, displacing more than 7, 000 residents who are now in temporary housing in 40 locations across Maui.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday in Wailuku, Oliveira said the county is moving forward with the reentry program in order to provide opportunities for fire victims to survey the damage for themselves, recover personal belongings, pursue insurance claims and perhaps find a degree of closure for their losses.
“For many of them, they have lost everything, including loved ones. We want to make this process as comfortable and as easy on them, and keep them safe, ” he said. “For anyone that has had the opportunity to be out in the Lahaina area affected by the fire, it is just overwhelming to see the devastation. So part of our process is really supporting family members, residents and people … as we escort them out there, to make this easy on them and prepare them for what to experience.
“I’m very sensitive about that, having personally seen the devastation. I really want to make sure that people are prepared for that and we don’t traumatize them anymore. We don’t want to hurt anyone any more than they’ve already been hurt to date.”
Once a zone is cleared for access, those eligible for reentry will be offered two escorted visits, and after that they can come back as often as they like. The escorted visits were deemed necessary, according to Oliveira, in order for people to observe safe practices for when they return on their own, but also because it’s uncertain how they might react upon seeing the ruins of their former lives.
“I cannot stress enough of how some people may feel when they get in there and see the property, ” he said. “Again, I don’t want to hurt anyone more, but if you had a chance you can only imagine how some people may react. It’s so significant, because as I walk through many of these subdivisions, there’s really no reference or landmark where the property’s boundaries are or lines are. I think some people would have a hard time even saying, ‘This is my property. I can’t recognize it anymore.’ So we really want to support them in this process.
“We also want to make sure they’re safe, so part of the reentry process is explaining to them the hazards that are out there, the hazards we’ve been communicating as far as the dust and the airborne particulate.”
As of Wednesday, teams from the Environmental Protection Agency had cleared 547 properties of hazardous waste since starting the cleanup Aug. 26, according to the county’s daily wildfire update, but officials say the remaining dangers include toxic ash, debris such as broken glass and exposed electrical wires, and unstable structures.
Oliveira said the county will provide disposable coveralls, booties, respirators, N95 masks and other personal protective equipment, as well as drinking water, hand-washing stations, portable toilets, shade structures and other accommodations—including mental health and medical support—to ensure safe visits.
Property owners and tenants also may bring along insurance adjusters and faith-based counselors if they choose.
Visits will be permitted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Oliveira said officials in other jurisdictions that have suffered similar catastrophes report that returnees generally stayed on their properties less than a half-day, but the situation is different in Hawaii.
“We know that here in Hawaii we’re very connected to our home, very connected, so I don’t want to limit the time that people have, as well as respect that on your first visit it may be hard to stay. But then as you maybe develop and prepare better, some better understanding, you can come back again and spend longer time as well as bring other family members that you have that you couldn’t bring in.”
Those seeking reentry passes must be able to prove some affiliation to the property, such as through real property records, rental agreements, utility bills or Federal Emergency Management Agency verification. Oliveira said the county will work with people who lost important documents in the fire to establish connections to affected properties.
The county plans to escort up to 10 groups of property owners and renters into open zones at a time. Reentry teams conducted mock walk-throughs Thursday to see what they might encounter and help determine resource needs such as staffing, protective gear and other logistics.
Oliveira said escorts will be provided by VOAD—Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a national association—along with police officers and staff from MEMA, the Department of Public Works and other county agencies.
The county so far has lifted disaster area restrictions for four business zones confined to the area where Keawe Street extends down from the Lahaina Bypass highway and meets Honoapiilani Highway. The parcels include Walgreens, Lahaina Gateway, Lahaina Cannery Mall and the area known by some as Lahaina Business Park.
Separately Thursday, the Maui Police Department said it had no new names to add to the official list of 115 fire fatalities. So far, MPD has released the names of 63 people who died in the disaster, with nine more identified but whose families have not yet been notified.
The Lahaina wildfire, now 100 % contained, burned an estimated 2, 170 acres.
Due to the challenging rural terrain, the Upcountry fires in Kula and Olinda that also started Aug. 8 are nearly contained but do not pose an active threat to populated areas, according to the county. The Olinda fire that destroyed three homes and burned 1, 081 acres was 90 % contained as of Wednesday, while containment of the Kula fire that claimed 202 acres and 16 homes increased to 96 %.
The county also reported that overnight Wednesday, 7, 436 people displaced by the wildfires were temporarily housed in coordination with the American Red Cross while plans are developed for more permanent housing. Additionally, 13, 156 meals were served at various disaster relief locations Wednesday.
Residents who are sheltering in hotels must show proof of identity and prior residency within the affected areas of Maui by today. Once the sheltering program ends, those who qualify will receive lodging support for the next six to 12 months, with eligibility determined by the state and FEMA.
