By Matthew Carland,
The wildfires on Hawaii's Maui Island have not only taken the lives and homes in the historic beach town of Lahaina, but some 60 kilometers away families have also been displaced on the slopes of the Haleakala volcano.
Ross Hart, 71, a retired National Park Service employee who was standing in his neighborhood cul-de-sac in the middle region area of Kula, wore a face mask as he looked for precious mementos, sifting through charred debris that was once his family's home.
"It's a lot of fire damage, the coins we were saving for the grandchildren, we found some of those," he said. "We still lost a lot: my guitars, instruments, trombone, my son's saxophone."
At around 11 a.m. on Aug. 8, strong winds of about 100 km per hour knocked over trees, hitting power lines.
"A tree fell down on that bridge, hit the power cables, power lines started sparking and started the fire here right in that gulch."
Fighting the blaze alongside firefighters, Hart sprayed water with a garden hose to stop the flames from igniting his house. He would bend down to dodge the embers blowing in all directions, with some even hitting houses across the street, he said.
It was about 10:30 p.m. when the electricity cut out, the water stopped and the fire engulfed his house. Four of his neighbors also lost their homes, he said.
His family escaped and a church has let them stay in its small house next door.
The fire in Kula spread to an estimated 202 acres (0.8 square km) and was 85 percent contained as of last Friday. Residents have been advised to use bottled water for drinking, oral care and cooking, according to a wildfire advisory sent out by the Maui County authorities.
In the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina, 114 fatalities have been reported with more than 1000 people unaccounted for. The fire has engulfed an estimated 2,168 acres and is 90 percent contained so far, according to Maui County.
Every day, Hart returns to clear up his plot of land and salvage items. He hopes to rebuild his house but is waiting for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to rid the area of pollutants.
"Help us out, clean it up quickly and we can start to rebuild and relive our lives," he said. "If they are going to get in the way, get away, let me do it myself," he lamented.
He said he finds it uplifting that the international community wants to help with recovery efforts.
"I get calls from Japan, Sweden, different places around the world, who say, we want to help you, can we send you something; it is wonderful that people care and they want to help."
Nineteen homes were destroyed in Kula, according to a Maui County press release dated Aug. 13.
Volunteers organized a distribution hub for the community at the Kula Lodge just down the hill.
Evan Viggers, 47, a volunteer and lodge chef, said the inn stopped vacation rentals and instead opened up to people seeking refugee from the wildfires.
"The owners have been very accommodating to the community. We're losing money but what else are you going to do?" he said.
Since Aug. 8 the Haleakala National Park has been closed due to high winds and wildfires on the slopes of the volcano, according to a post by the park on Facebook.
The summit of the volcano, which stands 3,055 meters above sea level, is a tourist attraction known for having a breathtaking view at sunrise. For native Hawaiians, the volcano is a sacred place where gods dwell, according to the National Park Service.
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Leader in Maui relief efforts sees model in post-tsunami Japan
Japan to give Hawaii $2 million in aid as wildfire death toll tops 100
Photo taken Aug. 19, 2023, shows a beach in Maui Island's Kihei, Hawaii, deserted after wildfires that broke out Aug. 8 ravaged the island. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
