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SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE | AUGUST 19, 2023

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After Wildfires, Maui Residents Lose Faith in Government, Gain Faith in Humanity

Before the Lahaina wildfire disaster, the faith of the people in a good world that made sense was vast and alive on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

Like a vital force, it dwelled in the eyes and hearts of most everyday people—the sun, the skies, and the green tropical West Maui Mountains higher than the clouds.

For Maui residents, it it a common thing to say hello to newcomers and strangers and to offer support wherever it’s needed.

“It’s the Aloha spirit,” Mika Villaren, co-owner of the Peace of Maui Bed and Breakfast told The Epoch Times.

“It’s a brotherhood. Everybody pulls together” as one big “Ohana,” the Hawaiian word for family.

Before the Lahaina wildfire disaster, most residents believed in the system to keep them safe. But now that faith is in doubt as residents wait for answers and the survivors of one of the worst wildfire disasters in U.S. history scramble for resources and temporary shelter to make it to the next day.

The fire, unimaginable in scale and ferocity, rampaged through the coastal town of Lahaina in West Maui on Aug. 8, claiming 111 lives and many livelihoods and leaving thousands unaccounted for or homeless.

Many residents, including children and the elderly, died trying to run away or by jumping into the ocean and drowning.

Others died in their cars as the streets of Lahaina became clogged with traffic.

Among a growing number of Maui residents, there is a sense of despair, anger, cynicism, and disbelief since the tragedy. Across Maui and the smoldering rubble of Lahaina, there is an outrage, ready to erupt with the strength of a volcano.

As one Lahaina resident told me, it is easy to get angry over horrific things and look for someone to blame.

But in the end, someone must be held accountable, he said.

Another West Maui resident told me that the government botched the emergency management response and is looking to cover for the failure. And now she has almost nothing left of her life in Lahaina, having lost her two businesses, all her personal belongings, and her faith in the system.

Many residents reported real estate companies contacting victims who lost everything, seeking to buy their property for pennies on the dollar.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green suggested a moratorium on property sales but followed up with talk of a possible state take-over in the impacted areas.

Still, residents say the fire brought out the best in people.

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“It breaks my heart” to see so much pain and suffering, said Anthony Jensen, a volunteer at Buzz’s Wharf in Lahaina, where charitable efforts ran nonstop on Aug. 12.

“I feel like there’s a downplaying. There are a lot of half-truths. There’s a lot of muddled truth put out to the public,” Mr. Jensen told The Epoch Times.

Though far from dividing the community, he said, the Maui wildfires brought residents closer together as a community. The Aloha spirit lives on.

“We don’t have a lot of funds right now,” Mr. Jensen told me. “We’re just rolling off of pure community—people from the mainland sending Venmo and whatnot. We’re going to Costco ourselves. We’re going to Walmart and Target—anywhere we can go and bring all the supplies down here to Buzz’s Wharf. Right now, this is our HQ, our hub for people who drop supplies.”

Morgan Whitmer, eco-tourism manager at Pac Whale Tourist Adventures and Pacific Whale Foundation in Lahaina, told me the company suspended commercial operations until further notice.

“Our biggest focus is just helping the community and getting supplies to Lahaina as the area impacted most,” Ms. Whitmer told The Epoch Times.

“We’re using our vessels, which is pretty handy because we can get past the highway and checkpoints and load them onto beaches.”

“It’s incredible. Once the word got out that we were a distribution center, we just had stuff pile up outside on Buzz’s Wharf and the docks. We’ve delivered thousands of pounds of supplies—twice a day.”

Mr. Jensen told me volunteers are ready for the long days ahead, emphasizing the relief effort is a “long game.”

“This is not just going to be these few days or weeks. It will be months of consistent love, support, supplies, community, and coming together.”

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