This is beyond heartbreaking. Longtime Oahu resident and part time Wailea resident here….

Lahina was certainly at risk for this….old wooden structures, tightly packed and built long before modern fire code. I hope it can come back as a safer more sustainable version of itself charm and history intact. I fear it will go the way of the International Market in Waikiki.

im seeing a lot of tweets and snippets of people in Maui telling visitors with plans to come to cancel them. Island leadership will need to sort this out over the next week or so…The economic engine of Wailea and the adjacent south coast may be needed to keep the island afloat as it recovers. An additional bolus of suddenly unemployed hospitality workers would add another blow to the island. West Maui will be down for a while due to utility fails, and when restored will be a challenge as you can’t isolate Lahina with Ka’anapoli vibrant.

some of the hospitality infrastructure (from rental cars to lodging) is going to be needed to support displaced Lahinians and reconstruction.

all beyond heartbreaking.