Big Island residents encouraged to continue showing support and solidarity for Maui

By early August last year, leeward Maui was like a dried husk; a tinder box teeming with desiccated vegetation and other parched materials just waiting for something to set them ablaze.

A red flag warning and high wind warning were already in effect by the morning of Aug. 8, 2023, as winds howled across the Valley Isle from the east at what the National Weather Service forecast as a sustainable 30 to 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph; even faster at times.

A monster lurked just at the edge of sight. Officials warned the night before the fiend would show itself if and when certain conditions combined to put the island in its frightening foothold.

As winds lashed Lāhainā and other parts of Maui throughout the day, humidity levels hovered low at around 40%. The daytime temperature also heated into the upper 80s to low 90s.

It was that perfect storm of extremely dry, windy and hot weather combined with plenty of dense terminally dehydrated vegetation and other available fuel sources on that fateful day a year ago that would lead to the most tragic natural disaster in state history and the deadliest wildfire in the United States in the past century.

Ceremonies and events were hosted Thursday throughout Hawai‘i — including in Hilo — to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that ravaged parts of Maui, especially the blaze that decimated historic Lāhainā.

The other fires burned simultaneously in Upcountry Maui, including in Olinda, Kula and the Pūlehu and Kīhei areas.

A total of nearly 7,000 acres were torched, ranging from 202 acres in Kula to 3,240 acres in the Pūlehu/Kīhei area. The four blazes caused a total of about $5.5 billion in damages and destroyed more than 2,200 structures.

The Lāhainā inferno — the worst of the four — razed more than 3,000 homes and other dwellings in the community along with scorching a significant amount of different properties, including businesses, industries, restaurants and various other sectors. The blaze burned 2,170 acres.

Worse than the property damage was its death toll — 102 people were lost to the flames.

Two people also are still missing.

“Our thoughts and prayers have been with the people of Maui throughout this past year,” said Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth on Wednesday.

The county observed a Day of Remembrance on Thursday to stand in solidarity with friends, family and colleagues on Maui who were affected by the wildfires.

It was a time to come together as an ʻohana, reflect on the impacts people faced since the blazes swept across the Valley Isle and show the Big Island’s ongoing support for recovery efforts.

More than 80 Hawaiʻi County employees came together early Thursday morning around the flagposts at the county building on Aupuni Street in Hilo to pay tribute to and honor those who perished in the Lāhainā tragedy and the other communities affected by the wildfires.

Flags were raised to half-mast and the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s Engine 1 was present during the ceremony, which included an ʻoli by Makaiwa Kanui followed by a personal message from Kimi Silva, a Hawai‘i County accountant and Lahaina native, who shared personal reflections on the impact of the wildfires.

Staff then joined Roth and Hawaiʻi County Police and Fire Chaplain Pastor Renee Godoy in the county building atrium for a time of reflection and community support.

The gathering included short messages, a prayer and the screening of a film prepared by Maui County detailing ongoing recovery efforts.

The event concluded with a hula performance by Pōmaikaʻi Bartolome, an executive assistant to Roth, accompanied by music from her brother Loeka Longikit.

“As we reflect on this day, I invite our entire community to join us in extending our deepest aloha to Maui and honoring the sacrifices our first responders make every day for our safety and well-being,” Roth said Thursday. “We are all one ʻohana, and it’s vital that we support each other, no matter the distance. We hope today’s remembrance provided a safe and welcoming space for our employees still coping with the tragedy, allowing them to feel seen and supported as we all work toward healing and recovery.”

Paradise was lost for many that day last August.

Maui was already in the crosshairs of disaster in the days leading up to the wildfires.

Hurricane Dora was approaching the islands from the south as a strong high pressure built into the region from the northeast, bringing gusty trade winds to the state.

Forecasters warned that if any fires developed they would spread rapidly. Leeward areas of all the islands were told to expect “critical fire weather conditions.”

As the tropical cyclone passed about 500 miles offshore of the Big Island, a sort of pressure gradient tunnel was created that caused the damaging winds and dried out the atmosphere, upping the risk — and likelihood — for wildfire ignition.

The winds toppled trees, felled utility poles and downed power lines that blocked crucial roadways on Maui and would later make evacuation challenging.

The monstrous wildfires began to roar across the Valley Isle in the early morning hours of Aug. 8, 2023, rolling at blistering speeds enflamed by the high winds, which also blew embers ahead of the fire fronts that would create new ignitions.

As they moved, most often faster than firefighters could respond, the flames and burning embers incinerated anything — and anyone — standing in their way.

The Olinda Fire was first, beginning shortly before 12:30 a.m. The Lāhainā AM Fire, the first phase of the inferno that would later devour the community, began at 6:35 a.m. and was contained a few hours later.

Just three hours later at 11:27 a.m., the Kula Fire broke out. Then, just before 3 p.m. the Lāhainā PM Fire — which would go on to wreak the most havoc and cause the most destruction and death — ignited in the same location as the Lahaina AM Fire earlier in the day.

The Pūlehu/Kīhei Fire was the last to spark at about 6 p.m.

The dry, windy, hot conditions continued for the next few days, allowing the fires to continue to burn and making efforts to extinguish them strenuous at best. It took days and weeks to not only contain them but to completely extinguish the flames.

Historic Lahaina town was a scene of utter ruination after up to 60-foot flames, according to some accounts, swept through the town during the night.

The former royal capital of the Kingdom of Hawai’i was originally a small fishing village and also served as a major whaling port for the majority of the 19th century. Lahaina was once described by Mauiguidebook.com as an “oddly eclectic mix of history, restaurants, T-shirt shops, fine art galleries and gold-by-the-foot … the quintessential ‘old-time-sea-town-turned-tourism’ with a uniquely Maui twist.”

It was essentially scorched off the map by the Aug. 8 inferno, with only ashes and charred remnants of its former regal self left behind.

A retired Maui firefighter who survived the Lāhainā fire and lives off Lahainaluna Road described the day of the blaze as the most severe weather conditions and fire he had ever experienced. Strong winds, reaching what he said were 70 to 80 mph, intensified throughout the day and caused significant damage to his property and entire neighborhood.

In his account found in the Maui Police Department Preliminary After-Action Report released 6 months after the disaster, the former firefighter recalls noticing the fire’s onset at about 3:30 p.m. when white smoke turned into thick black smoke, “in what he knew was indicative of hydrocarbons and suggesting homes and cars were ablaze.”

He and a friend tried to create a “defendable space” around his home, but the man realized the severity of the situation and decided to flee as flames got too close.

Unfortunately, his vehicle malfunctioned about 45 minutes later while he was evacuating and he was forced to break the front passenger window of his vehicle to escape. His harrowing journey escalated as he crawled on the ground to stay out of the thick black smoke to seek safety, suffering burns to his arms and hands.

The man was found and rescued by a police officer who was escaping his home in the area of Mill Street.

They later found another severely burned victim. Police officers transported them to the emergency shelter for treatment.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of stories like the retired firefighters from the “Hellfire in Hawai‘i.”

That’s the title of the July 28 episode of Discovery’s new documentary series “In the Eye of the Storm.”

The episode, which you can stream on demand on Max, features second-by-second life-changing accounts of eyewitnesses of the wildfire using a combination of footage from smartphones, security cameras and bodycams, 9-1-1 audio recordings, radio dispatch and first-person testimony

“I don’t want the world to forget that 102 died as a direct result of the fire. I don’t want the world to forget our town was leveled,” wrote Debbie Schulz-Peterson in a July 23 public post on her Facebook page. She is one of the survivors who is part of the episode. “Many of us aren’t OK. But we’re trying. I don’t know if this is something you ever get over. It’s something you live with and it changed us. It changed everyone.”

State and county officials acknowledged Thursday during wildfire commemoration events that it will take more time to heal from the tragedy.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen honored the lives lost and those still missing.

Bissen paid tribute to the Maui community as well, pledging continued support to all those who lost their homes and properties in last year’s wildfires.

“It’s not so much just for what they lost on Aug. 8, but for the 364 days that they have had to endure since then,” said Bissen. “Our town has shown so much resilience as they’ve endured this period. They’ve shown the pride of not only their people but their place. Our job here today is to support all of them.”

Green acknowledged the losses suffered in the tragedy and commended the Maui community and the county for their strength during the last 365 days since the wildfires ignited, but “just like the mayor expressed, we’ve come so far, but people still have to heal.”

Green also on Thursday signed papers to transfer Moku‘ula and Loko ‘O Mokuhinia from the state to Maui County for cultural and ecological restoration “in the spirit of honoring those that we lost.”

Moku‘ula was the private residence of King Kamehameha III from 1837-45. Loko ‘O Mokuhinia was a 17-acre pond that in Hawaiian tradition is the home of Kihawahine, a deity in royal lineage, and guardian for the sacred Mokuhinia ponds and Moku‘ula island.

Green added that the goal of the transfer also is “to restore those sacred lands.”

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaiʻi said survivors continue to face uncertainty, and while progress was made in the past year, it ultimately comes down to the people of Maui.

Bound by a shared grief and common resolve, they’ve banded together to help each other in any way they can.

“Their grit, their grace and their generosity are proof that for as long and difficult as the road ahead will be, we will get through this by sticking together,” said Schatz. “We’ve come a long way, but we still have a longer way to go, and our promise is that we will be there with the community for as long as it takes, every step of the way.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaiʻi added that “in the midst of the trauma and the chaos, what emerged was kindnesses.”

“That is how we are going forward, standing strong together,” said Hirono. “There are many stories of resilience, but a word that applies now is hope, Sen. Hirono said. “The world continues to watch how we are persevering.”

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi said fire survivors were supported by people from throughout the country and around the world. As hard as the last year was, she was surrounded by the very best of us.

That gives her a great feeling of gratitude.

“In that moment of absolute tragedy, disaster, where everything was lost, they were grateful for their lives, They were strong. They were helping neighbors. They were showing true aloha,” said Tokuda about the people of Maui. “They are the strongest people you will ever meet. We are surrounded by the strongest people. But even the strongest should never walk alone, and they will not walk alone. We will continue to walk with them. We will be with them.”

Canoe paddlers, surfers, kayakers and swimmers around Maui also gathered Thursday at Hanaka‘ō‘ō Beach Park for an emotional paddle-out ceremony to mark the 1st anniversary of the wildfires and commemorate the losses suffered by the Maui community.

Eventually growing to about 4,000 participants, including about 1,000 who took to the ocean, the paddle-out was the first of 9 events for Kuhinia Maui: Week of Remembrance that continue through Sunday.

Grief, remembrance and reflection were interlaced with hope, strength and resiliency as residents stood alongside one another as the paddle-out began. Grassroots advocacy group Lāhainā Strong and Maui County Councilmember Tamara Paltin led the event, which was attended by Bissen, Green and other officials.

“A year ago, many of us felt helpless and filled with sorrow as to how our lives changed overnight,” said Paltin. “But since then, our aloha and compassion has shined bright for all of Maui. It is crucial that we continue to support each other physically and emotionally. Together, we will continue to rise.”

Lāhainā Strong spokesperson Pa‘ele Kiakona said the wildfires made the community stronger.

“The most vivid memory I have etched in my mind forever are the days that followed the wildfires. No one sat around feeling sorry for themselves. No one gave up because it was too hard,” he said. “We all stood strong as this Lahaina community, even with open wounds, and did not hesitate to help one another. We are strong, we are resilient and we are relentless like the sun of Lāhainā.”

Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani was filled later in the day with residents from Kula, Olinda and other areas from around the island for the Upcountry Aloha Luncheon.

Upcountry County Council member Yuki Lei Sugimura spoke during the event, which provided lunch for attendees. She emphasized the aloha that neighbors showed to one another and a sense of hope that has become evident as residents begin rebuilding.

“It has been quite a year for our residents, but today was a gathering for our people to recognize the true aloha our community has had for each other,” said Sugimura.

Attendees said it was therapeutic to have a space to reflect and connect.

Hundreds of residents filled Lāhainā Civic Center on Thursday night to join in the One-Year Tribute and Remembrance.

Bissen, Green and other officials also were present at the evening tribute. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell spoke, sharing a special message from U.S. President Joe Biden.

“My administration will be right there alongside you to help you rebuild,” said Biden in the letter. “Together, we have made tremendous progress this last year, but we have a lot more to do. Your traditions and the voices of those who have called the island home for generations will continue to guide the work ahead, and we will remain focused on supporting your ongoing recovery.”

Bissen said the lives of Maui’s residents were changed forever by the unimaginable devastation of the wildfires. While the island has endured inconceivable suffering, he has witnessed the incredible grit, sacrifice and immeasurable courage of a community that has risen from its darkest hour.

He said in the difficult days yet to come, as the community navigates the ebb and flow of the continuing recovery, it’s important to prioritize self-care.

“Don’t forget to appreciate the little things, count your blessings, lead with kindness and find comfort in those friendships closest to you,” Bissen said. “It is through our shared grief and collective hope that we find the power to lift one another.”

Big Islanders can also continue to show support for their Maui neighbors by joining Hawai’i County in several special initiatives through Aug. 15 marking the 1-year anniversary of the wildfires.

The initiatives include:

• Atrium illumination: The county building atrium will be illuminated in pink throughout the week as a symbol of support for those affected by the fires.
• Proclamation and message writing: A special proclamation will be displayed in the mayor’s office, where materials will be available for anyone wanting to write notes of support to the people of Maui.
• Sign of solidarity: A sign of solidarity is placed at the county building at 25 Aupuni St. in Hilo to signify the Big Island community’s continued support for Maui.

“Let’s come together as an ʻohana, reflect on the challenges our neighbors have faced and continue to show our unwavering support,” Roth wrote Thursday in a Facebook post.

The Big Island mayor encourages interested county employees and community members to participate by submitting letters, poems, notes of support or flat paper artwork that will be collected and sent to Maui.

Contributions will be accepted at the mayor’s office through Aug. 15 and then packaged to be shared with Bissen’s office on Maui. They will be displayed in various Maui County buildings and facilities for the Valley Isle community.

Roth also reminded the Big Island community that remembrance for Maui can also be done personally or collectively, through prayer, moments of silence, messages to friends and family or other expressions of aloha, near and far.

Maui state Sens. Lynn DeCoite, Angus McKelvey and Troy Hashimoto issued a joint statement reflecting on the 1st anniversary of the Maui wildfires.

“Maui has always been a community of aloha, resilience and hope, and as we look back on the tragedies that occurred on Aug. 8, 2023, we see this reflected in the people of Maui. Each and every life lost and survived has a story and a memory,” said the statement. “As we continue to heal and move towards rebuilding, we remain committed to each other and to our communities.”

The statement added while there is much to be done in the long journey to recovery, the lawmakers see a road ahead full of hope and promise.

“With the foundation of the generations that came before us, we will rebuild for future generations, with hope, resilience and aloha for Maui Nui,” the statement said.

“Standing with you on the 1-year memorial of the devastating August 2023 wildfires, I am struck by the remarkable ways people have continued to come together to support one another following this tragedy,” Green wrote Thursday in a Facebook post. “This has been an incredibly difficult year for so many, and throughout it all, I have been in awe of the resilience and strength of this community.”

If you want to show your continued support by making direct monetary or other types of donations, here are some links to organizations that continue to help:

• ʻĀina Momona: https://www.kaainamomona.org/maui
• Maui Nui Strong: https://www.mauinuistrong.info/
• American Red Cross of Hawai‘i: https://www.redcross.org/local/hawaii.html
• Hawai‘i Salvation Army: https://hawaii.salvationarmy.org/
• Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
• Kākoʻo Maui fund: https://www.memberplanet.com/campaign/cnhamembers/kakoomaui
• People’s Fund of Maui: https://www.eifoundation.org/peoples-fund-of-maui/
• Aloha United Way: https://ignite.stratuslive.com/auw/get-involved/donate/mauirelief
• Maui Food Bank: https://mauifoodbank.org/donate/
• Maui Mutual Aid: https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaid

“It’s been 1 year since wildfires struck Maui. One year since families lost homes and loved ones. One year since wildfires burned into our hearts a fire to give back,” wrote The Salvation Army Hilo Corps in a post Thursday on Facebook. “As we reflect on the past year of recovery efforts, we are reminded of a year filled with acts of generosity and compassion from our donors and volunteers who rose up to help our neighbors. And as we continue recovery efforts, we promise to honor the support we received over the past year by never stopping our work in helping those in most need on Maui. So long as there are people who are hurting — The Salvation Army will be there serving.”

In an image attached to the post, there are the words “Mālama Maui” next to the organization’s logo and “Never forget. Never stop serving.”