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The Lahaina Fire of 2023 has become a study on human nature.
Displayed at one end of the spectrum are noble attributes such as bravery, compassion and sacrifice. These are the people who risked all to pound on neighbors' doors and windows to assure they too could escape the wind-whipped flames. They are the volunteers standing in the sun for long hours handing out food, supplies and aloha to shell-shocked survivors. They are the first responders, linemen, heavy equipment operators and all others who ran toward trouble when Lahaina was in need. They are the community-minded souls committed to the long haul, for this recovery will take years, if not decades, to complete.
On the other side are people who seek to profit from our great loss. While Maui grieves its dead and missing, they jockey for slices of the pie. We have all heard or read stories about predatory law firms and real estate speculators trying to entice folks into signing contracts. Hot for fresh angles and seeking to make names for themselves, outside journalists step on toes and rush to lay blame. Scammers create fake fundraisers or skim the lion's share off the top of donations they collect.
One side gives you hope for humanity and the other makes you want to check to make sure your wallet is still in your pocket. While we all probably have some vision of what Lahaina will look like in the future, it is far too early to propose grand plans. We support Hawaii Gov. Josh Green's attempts to put a moratorium on real estate sales in the affected area, though wonder if he can really pull it off.
It is likely that Lahaina will emerge with a different footprint than before the fire. Having been virtually wiped from the map, the harbor town is a raw lump of clay, one that a lot of people would like to get their hands on. Will it be more accessible and walkable, or will narrow streets without sidewalks return? How much public space will be dedicated to the memorial for Lahaina's fallen? In these days of rising seas, how close to the ocean will buildings be permitted? Could a new population center be created uphill? Will the architecture copy the hodgepodge sugar plantation era, pre-contact Hawaiian kingdom, some sort of hybrid of the two, or embrace a completely new vision?
We know the people we want answering these questions and they are not investors who would happily turn Lahaina into rows of high rises or some sort of tropical theme park. Lahaina's future should be decided by its people. First things first, however. Before pressuring Lahaina residents to make momentous decisions, let's please give them time to recover and bury their dead, to properly grieve who and what has been lost.