‘There’s nothing left’: Winnipegger in Maui recounts horrors of fatal wildfire

A Winnipeg woman recounts the horrors of the past few days after a wildfire that broke out on Tuesday night on Maui levelled the historic town of Lahaina.

Originally from Winnipeg, Tess Lemon now resides on the northern part of the island, which she says was not impacted by the fire. But many were not so lucky.

“This isn’t just a pretty tourist destination,” said Lemon. “This is where people live. And this was people’s heritage and culture. And it is now in ash.

“It’s gone. Everything they’ve ever owned is ashes.”

Lemon says she heard from some locals who have gone back to the site within the last 48 hours about what they’ve seen left behind.

“People unfortunately have died in their cars trying to escape the fire,” she said. “People who are running out of gas because it was so hot from running air conditioning in their cars trying to evacuate. People jumping into the water trying to evacuate the fire.”

Lemon says transportation to the west side of the island where Lahaina and many evacuation centres are located has been difficult, but the community has been providing support to people in need.

“So the locals have really come together to make those supplies reach people who actually need them, whether it be by boat, or people waiting hours in traffic to deliver off supplies.”

Death toll climbing

The death toll from the wildfire climbed to 93 as of Sunday morning. The blaze is already the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

Authorities are warning the effort to find and identify the dead is still in its early stages. Only two people have been identified so far.

At least 2,200 buildings were damaged or destroyed in West Maui, nearly all of them residential. Across the island, damage was estimated at close to $6 billion.

WATCH: Maui wildfires described as largest natural disaster in Hawaii history

Difficulty contacting loves ones

Lahaina resident Cody Ball, a friend of Lemon’s, visited the area Wednesday and says everything they have there is gone.

“There’s nothing left. Nothing. My truck, melted down scrap,” he said.

Despite losing their homes and other belongings, Ball says he’s thankful his family and friends are accounted for. Some people, he said, were having difficulty contacting loved ones due to lack of cell service.

“We couldn’t contact each other,” said Ball. “We had no idea who survived, who made it out. I had friends that had a 90-year-old grandmother in Lahaina, that fortunately their neighbour got them out, but my friend’s family had no idea until three in the morning when she ended up at the hospital.”

Ball is currently staying with family in Kihei on the southern side after leaving the west side on Thursday.

Lemon says anyone looking to help can send the money directly to people in need.

“Try and reach out to anyone that you know personally or know someone that knows someone here on island and directly donate to GoFundMe links that have been verified and people who know the families,” she said. “Because they get that money immediately. And it is that type of situation where people need money now.”

—With files from The Associated Press