Starrs- I remembered I have 4 heat reflective blankets I will add to my stash next to boots. My boots are low tops. Won’t take me long to get on.

Our house was hit by lightening and started a fire. It hit the wiring so smoldered for awhile before flames started. It was in the middle of the night but hubby got up for a drink of water and discovered the fire. Had to wake up daughter, find the cat and out. My daughter was maybe 6 - had gone through fire training at school and remembered we should “stop, drop and roll”. We just got the heck out. Only the roof and ceiling were damaged.

What kind? I need new hiking boots.
Just curious. Has nothing to do with this topic.

We had a house fire that started in the wiring also. A mistake made by an electrician. The house would have burned to the ground but I happened to be home (not supposed to be) to watch a soap opera wedding. I heard a snapping noise for over an hour and checked a few times. The fire almost burned out until it burned through an exterior wall and then ... WHOOSH!
Lucky I was home. Water damage to the bottom two floors. Only a bed room, storage closet and attic had serious damage.

Does anyone know the fate of our favorite restaurant in Lahaina -- Mala Tavern -- at the north end of Front Street? Presume gone, what a lovely setting it had right on the water.

Their Facebook page says they miraculously, are intact, but of course, not able to reopen anytime soon.

Starrs- I think my boots are Columbia.

My daughters who was in the Maui fire has been offered a condo to stay in until the end of September. One of her friends was escaping the fire when his car caught on fire. He escaped to the ocean and tread water for 4 hours before being rescued.

They were the lucky ones.

[QUOTE=sunbum1944;17487462

My daughters who was in the Maui fire has been offered a condo to stay in until the end of September. One of her friends was escaping the fire when his car caught on fire. He escaped to the ocean and tread water for 4 hours before being rescued.

They were the lucky ones.[/QUOTE]


I hope your daughter's ok. Will she be staying on Maui or has her job gone too? Treading water for 4 hours. Wow. A family from California who were on the news here did the same thing with a couple of small kids. The dad said that a couple of times the waves almost took the little kids, but the older ones helped and they all made it. They had the piece of cardboard or whatever it was to hang on to.

Four hours treading water, Jayzus! Glad that your daughter was OK SunBum. You must have been frantic til finally hearing from her.
I am done. the lucky ones indeed

Oh it wasn’t my daughter. A friend. I don’t know if her job is gone. She worked at Star Noodle. Haven’t heard if it survived

Don’t know if this can be accessed but it’s a harrowing story of one women’s survival and helping other people to survive. She spent 7 hours in the water. It’s a bit concerning that the warning system that has been set up for Hawaii never went off. My son and his wife and newborn live on the big island and now I’m wishing they would (ironically) come to Calif.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/...t-18292546.php

Seven hours in the water, again Jayzus MacDog. Those of us who don't swim well shudder at the thought.
I am done. the end

Truly horrible. Sunburn, I am glad your daughter has a place to stay and her friend is ok. It is really humbling that they are considering themselves lucky after that ordeal. The way people are pitching in and helping each other is inspirational. I dread the results of the continued search for victims.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/0...aui-residents/

More to come it seems. Friends of mine who stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel said this property is doing its best to accommodate these displaced by this inferno.

Ohana!

Death count is up to 93.

JW, good to see that some hotels are left standing to accommodate those in need.
May none of us experience such a calamity.
I am done. the end

The one thing I;ve continually encountered is the resilience of communities of Hawaii.
But this may be the most tragic
may the powers at be find a way to construct quick efficient housing
may the money pouring in be properly distributed

"the powers at [sic] be" is a pretty nebulous phrase. Of course, houses lost in that particular area were almost certainly insured: major issues will be construction supply logistics, large-scale human construction crews, etc., once the claims are settled. There will be all kinds of decisions to be made, such as where to dispose/landfill rubbish Another issue will be how to rebuild the historic old town (IMO, hope there's no push to replicate). Putting up cheap temporary ("efficient"?) housing is probably not a great idea: perhaps something can be done by utilizing all the vacation condo residences available.
BUT: before any of that is discussed we must reflect that, given the number of missing persons and the sad warnings of the local police (regarding houses, cars, etc.), this tragedy will be unfolding for quite a while. Like others who were fortunate to visit, we have wonderful memories of the west side (so many, but often about our two grade-school kids following a guy carrying a huge ono to a restaurant, fascinated, asking all about it and learning quite a bit from the man who had just caught what would be the freshest meal of their lives).
This loss of life is devastating.

Random facts and thoughts...

Hawaii is the most expensive state for housing, and Maui is/was the second most rent-burdened county in the state with renters paying more than 50% of income toward rent.

Approx. 11% of the island's population live below the poverty line.

Maui had a housing shortage before the fires. Exacerbating recovery, post-fire insurance coverage may be less available/affordable. It took decades to reach final insurance settlements on Kauai after Iniki. Insurance coverage is not going to be the savior here.

This is not going to be easy. But it can very easily be totally screwed up.

If the above is too "controversial," then perhaps this thread should be sent to the basement.

The current plan is to house the newly-homeless in hotels and short-term-rentals which are being changed to long-term. The cost will be borne by the State and Federal governments. Doing this will provide places for people to live while they try to rebuild their lives, allow hotels to stay in business, and maintain employment for the many who work in hotels.

Edited to add: many of the victims did not have insurance.

Is part of the reason that there is a housing shortage in Maui because so much of the stock is held as second homes and used for short term rentals?

Sounds very possible to me. Also, the cost of housing puts almost everything out of the reach of the people who actually live and work there. Like So Cal, but on steroids.