Maui wildfire devastates historic Lahaina Town 

The historic Lahaina Town on Maui was devastated by the wildfires that tore through the island this week and left dozens of people dead.

The town is one of the state’s most historic cities and was once even a capital of a former kingdom. Officials said Wednesday that at least 36 people in the community were killed, as hundreds of structures were left damaged or destroyed due to the hurricane-fueled wildfire.

The Associated Press reports that most of Front Street, home to restaurants, stores and other businesses, was likely consumed by the fire. Lahaina’s banyan tree — which was planted in 1873 and covers a whole acre — may have also been destroyed in the fire, according to the AP.

Helicopter pilot Richard Olsten, who works for Air Maui and told the outlet he flew over the sites of the fire Wednesday, claimed the fire is a “blow on the history” of Hawaii, Maui and Lahaina — home to less than 13,000 residents.

People watch as smoke and flames fill the air from raging wildfires on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Maui on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. (Alan Dickar via AP)

“All the places that are tourist areas, that are Hawaiian history, are gone, and that can’t be replaced,” he said. “You can’t refurbish a building that’s just ashes now. It can’t be rebuilt — it’s gone forever.”

The town was named the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1802 and served as the center of government for more than 50 years, according to the Lahaina Town website. The area also has dozens of historical sites, including lighthouses, churches and courthouses, listed in a historical walking tour on its website.

This photo provided by the County of Maui shows fire and smoke filling the sky from wildfires on the intersection at Hokiokio Place and Lahaina Bypass in Maui, Hawaii, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. (Zeke Kalua/County of Maui via AP)

The Lahaina Historical District has been a National Historic Landmark since 1962 and includes Front Street, the downtown and 60 historical sites, according to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

With the fires tearing through the town, it is feared that many of those sites will not be recovered. One of those sites is the 200-year-old Waiola Church, which was photographed engulfed in flames earlier this week.

It was formerly known as Waineʻe Church and was founded in 1823 by Queen Keōpūolani, according to its website. Former Hawaiian kings and queens from hundreds of years ago are also buried in its graveyard.

The Associated Press contributed.