A wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui that has killed six people, has also destroyed the 200-year-old Waiola Church in Lahaina, which held the kōiwi remains of the island’s chiefs.
“It was the capital of our Hawaiian kingdom,” local resident Ikaika Mendez says.
Initially established in 1823, the church stands as one of the oldest places of Christian worship in Hawaii. Its historical roots intertwine with the island’s transformation during a critical period of change, as it witnessed the arrival of Christian missionaries and the subsequent introduction of new religious and social dynamics.
“That’s where our Hawaiian constitution was written, and that’s where our Ali’i (chiefs) were buried to see it in flames… We just cried,” Mendez says.
Kamalani Kawa’a is a Mauia local, and manager at Sparkys Food Company Restaurant in Kahului, which provides food and resources to those in Lahaina affected by the fires.
“We decided to come together and to really bring the community together to aid our ohana our whāau out there who really need that help who aren’t able to get it.
“We are even dropping off clothing and school supplies and we even had toothbrushes and toothpaste all kinds of stuff you name it.”
What to know about the wildfires:
- At least six people have died in fires in Maui, officials said on Wednesday. Some injuries have been reported, but officials did not provide a number.
- Crews continue to battle fires in Maui and the Big Island, which have been partly fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm.
- The Coast Guard on Tuesday rescued 14 people including two children, who went into the ocean to escape the blazes and smoke.
- At least 271 structures have been damaged, destroyed or otherwise impacted in the western Malibu town of Lahaina after a devastating wildfire, Maui County officials said.
- The full extent of the damage may not be known for weeks or even months, acting governor Sylvia Luke said.