Lahaina, Hawaii — Almost a year after the horrible forest fire The physical scars of the disaster that ravaged Maui’s historic town of Lahaina and killed 101 people remain. But what’s not often seen is the psychological toll it took on the community.
“There’s just animosity, there’s energy, there’s negative energy, it’s there,” Kiha Kaina told CBS News.
Kaina says her “downward spiral” began when her father’s body was discovered in the ruins.
“He was found right next to the Maui Mall on Front Street in his truck,” Kaina said. “And he had his little dog with him.”
This is why staying “Lahaina strong” can be so difficult.
“I had times where things happened a little differently for a guy who has always been positive in life,” Kaina said. “It put me in a little bit of a scary place where I felt like I was falling into the trap of suicidal thoughts.”
In a June survey by the Hawaii State Rural Health Association, 71 percent of Maui County respondents who were directly affected near the fires said they have since had to cut back on food and grocery spending to personal financial reasonsThe survey found that most Maui residents were more worried than optimistic about the future.
In the days following the Fire Breaks Out in Lahaina August 8, 2023, CBS News first documented The deadly evacuation. Dozens of burned-out cars lined Lahaina’s historic Front Street as desperate residents and tourists tried to flee.
Today, those cars are gone, but much of Front Street remains frozen in time.
“It’s just a daily reminder of the trauma,” said John Oliver, public health program manager for the Hawaii State Department of Health, an agency that ensures people like Lynette Chun have access to mental health services.
“The fire devastated me and… my spirit was fractured,” Chun said.
Oliver described the crisis created by the fire as “unprecedented.”
“We’re seeing grief,” Oliver said. “There’s uncertainty, there’s anxiety, there’s depression, there’s entire families that are affected.”
When Lahaina burned, it wasn’t just a community that was lost, it was the former capital of Hawaii, its rich history and a way of life passed down from generation to generation.
Before the fire, about 12,000 people lived in Lahaina. Of those, 10 percent sought help for mental health issues, according to the Hawaii Department of Health.
Oliver estimates that figure could soon reach around 30%.
While there are signs of progress, including the reopening of some businesses that were not damaged, much of the city centre is still a landscape marked by trauma.
“The people of Lahaina need to come back,” Oliver said. “I think that’s what everybody wants. Lahaina is not Lahaina without its people.”
Kaina said he finally found the help he needed.
“I have a little baby, that’s what saved me,” Kaina revealed. “She’s the reason I held on, held on and I’m still here.”
Despite the fury that tore through much of Lahaina, strong bonds kept this community together.
Jonathan Vigliotti
