Fires are ravaging through Maui
Mick Fleetwood’s restaurant, located in the historic town of Lahaina — which dates to the 1700s — on Hawaii’s Maui island, has been destroyed by wildfires caused by Hurricane Dora. The Fleetwood Mac drummer and co-founder shares that Fleetwood’s On Front St. has been lost.
“Maui and the Lahaina community have been my home for several decades,” he writes on August 9th. “This is a devastating moment for Maui, and many are suffering unimaginable loss. Fleetwood’s On Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken, our main priority is the safety of our dear staff and team members. On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui. We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days and months and years to come.”
The restaurant also released a statement, offering continued support to the island’s residents, staff and first responders.
“As most of you know Maui has been dealing with extreme fires created by the residual winds of Hurricane Dora,” they share. “Lahaina Town has taken the brunt of it. We do not have enough information at this time regarding Fleetwood’s on Front St or any of our neighbors to share. Mahalo for your continued thoughts and prayers for our community and our first responders.”
Fleetwood’s On Front St., which has been a tourist attraction since it opened in 2012, sat on the west side of the island and overlooked the Pacific Ocean.
The fires began on August 8th and are ongoing. More than 50 people were killed and 1700 structures damaged in the fires as of Wednesday night, according to Maui County.
Brian Schatz, United States Senator from Hawaii says, “Lahaina Town on Maui is almost totally burnt to the ground. Firefighters are still trying to get the fires under control, and our first responders are in search and rescue mode.”
President Joe Biden has declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
The White House says damage assessments are continuing, and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.
