It has been one year since the devastating Maui wildfires tore through the community of Lahaina, in what was the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.
Hundreds of people gathered Thursday at a beachside park for a community-driven event that featured messages of hope, prayers, and music in honor of the 102 people who tragically lost their lives. But one year later, a heartbroken community is still struggling to rebuild and many are still without permanent housing.
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The island's utility provider has faced a year of intense scrutiny for failing to shut down its power lines ahead of the fire despite high winds and red-flag warnings. But Hawaii Gov. Josh Green hopes a recent $4 billion settlement with Hawaiian Electric Co. and others will help people finally start over.
"Exactly one year ago, we lost cherished lives of mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters and friends," Green said in a statement. "As we observe the one year-mark of the Maui Wildfires through commemorative events this weekend, let's honor their memories and never forget those we lost in Lahaina. Together we will pave a path toward resilience and hope, preserve the spirit of Lahaina, and continue to rebuild with the community with strength and unity."
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Lahaina is a sacred place to the Hawaiian people. King Kamehameha designated it the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the early 1800s, and it became the home and burial place of the Hawaiian Royal Family.
The chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey, said, "Lahaina holds some of the most historically significant cultural properties and highest-ranking sacred remains of our ancestors. There is so much history that will be forever lost, a history that tethers all of us, young and old, not only to Lahaina, but to ourselves and to each other."
