TIME TO HEAL

Lahaina Locals Petition Hawaii Governor to Delay Tourism Reopening

The historic town was gutted in August by the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history.

Residents from Lahaina on Tuesday delivered a petition asking Hawaii Gov. Josh Green to delay reopening a part of West Maui to tourists this weekend, arguing that it’s too soon for visitors to return in the wake of August’s devastating wildfire. At least 98 people were killed in the Aug. 8 disaster that destroyed Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. A total of 3,517 people with West Maui zip codes signed the petition asking for a delay in tourists returning, with bartender Pa‘ele Kiakona telling a news conference that locals are “not mentally nor emotionally ready to welcome and serve our visitors.” Hours later, Green told Hawaii News Now that he was “utterly sympathetic” to residents’ suffering, but said over 8,000 people were out of work as a result of the disaster and helping them return to employment was a part of recovering.