‘Don’t forget Lahaina’: In Upcountry Maui, residents want help to prevent wildfires

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Upcountry Maui residents have become accustomed to fires in the late summer months. Dry, windy conditions often push flames dangerously close to neighborhoods, consuming the seemingly endless supply of invasive trees and plants.

On Aug. 8, 2023, with hurricane-force winds whipping across the islands, multiple fires were reported in Olinda and Kula and the flames ultimately claimed 19 homes and scorched more than 1,000 acres.

“The wind came in gusts,” said Terry McBarnet, who helped his neighbors fight the fire using power washers and hoses. On one side of the ridge, the Maui Fire department with resources stretched thin. On the other side, a retired fireman was determined to push the flames back from his property.

MAUI WILDFIRES DISASTER: ONE YEAR LATER

“Fortunately, we were on that 45-degree angle. If it was right at us. I don’t think we would have had a chance,” said Barnett, adding the heat at times was overwhelming.

They succeeded in their battle with the blaze, which turned away from their homes when the wind shifted.

Others weren’t as lucky.

Mark Ross said a truck dumped water on the flames but couldn’t refill. There was no water pressure because the power was out. Ross said the driver had to go back down the hill to fill up. “Meanwhile the fire got bigger & bigger, once in the gulch, it was over,” he said.

Ross lost his dream retirement home on Haleakala Highway.

Mark Gregg said he evacuated, grabbing his dog and some personal items,

“We looked up the hill all night long, and we could just see the red glow coming across. And we had zero expectations on our house survived,” he said.

But his house did, with minor damage from smoke.

Monica Loui and her brother hit the fires with power washers and hoses, until they too, lost power.

The siblings own the Sandalwoods Cafe and Inn.

“We were scared. We had to be evacuated,” Loui said, adding a Maui police officer drove up to their property about sunset and took them in the patrol car to a shelter.

“Then we waited. My sister and I waited at the shelter for two and a half hours to see if my brother and brother-in-law made it out, and it was just tears when they showed up,” Loui said.

Claudia Garcia of the community group ‘Upcountry Strong’ said people started using shovels to put out smoldering fires. “Their shoes were melted,” she said.

Knowing what was happening in Lahaina and the greater need for resources there, upcountry residents worked together to care for each other.

“We were doing water bucket brigades from the driveway,” Gregg said.

One year later after the disaster, the community is working to better prepare.

In addition to the stand pipes with readily accessible hoses, neighbors have worked to clear out the landscape of invasive and highly flammable plants.

Ross pulls plants almost daily on his property, which has now been cleared to just a dirt lot.

He is working to rebuild his home but new rules, including setback regulations and other issues have kept him from moving forward.

The Sandalwoods Cafe and Inn is also not ready to take guests for either dining or overnight stays.

“It’s been challenging. We’re trying our best to get the business back up and running” Loui said the fire caused damage to the propane tank which is crucial for the appliances in the restaurant.

All six of the cottages also need to be renovated, according to the inspectors.

“They did a wipe down, they smelled the smoke and said the entire interior had to be redone.”

One structure on the property was destroyed but Loui is grateful, no one was hurt.

“We don’t forget Lahaina,” Loui said.

“All you have to do is look down that way and you see Mauna Kahalawai and on the other side of that is Lahaina. So we don’t forget that.”

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