The town of Paradise, Calif. — the previous site of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century before the devastating Lahaina fire — has a message for the people of Lahaina and the rest of Maui: “The world is grieving with you.”
The open letter Monday from Regenerating Paradise, a community-based nonprofit organization formed in the aftermath of the 2018 Camp fire, came just over a month following the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire, which killed at least 115 people.
On Monday the Maui Police Department and Maui County also announced that three more victims have been identified: Bibiana “Bhing” Lutrania, 58; Glenn Yoshino, 75; and Rafael Imperial, 63, all from Lahaina.
There were several Facebook posts seeking information on “Raffy” Imperial, including from his boss, co-workers, sister and other relatives.
A post on Sunday reported, “UPDATE: Rafael Arcega Imperial confirmed by the FBI today for the Maui Fire in Lahaina. We received sombering news today. While Heaven has gained an angel, we have lost a brother, husband, father and friend. We want to thank you all very much for your thoughts and prayers.”
The Philippine Consulate General’s team in Honolulu plans to return to Maui Sep. 22-24 to offer services to survivors and victims’ families.
Four of the 115 fire victims have been identified as Philippine citizens. Eight other victims have direct ties to nationals, and the Philippine Consulate said it has been helping about 70 others.
Consular services include passport renewal forms, affidavits for document losses, dual citizenship forms, civil registration forms like marriage licenses, birth certificates and death certificates. Visa and notary public forms are also available.
About 40% of Lahaina’s roughly 12,000 residents are Filipino, Consul General Emil T. Fernandez told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an interview, citing census figures.
Many of them are already immigrants and U.S. citizens, he said, but “still we have quite a number who are so-called green card holders” or legal permanent residents.
According to the 2020 census, Filipinos comprise about one-quarter of Hawaii’s population and are critical health care and visitor industry workers.
Fernandez said his team was in Lahaina on Aug. 15 and 16 to help citizens replace lost travel documents, Philippine passports and access other consular services.
The team can also help with connecting loved ones in the Philippines and repatriating remains.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected,” Fernandez said. “We will be returning with a larger team this time and staying for a longer period to tend to nationals who are in need of consular services. We’ll attend to everyone affected, regardless of their nationality or status.”
On Monday the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that it has approved over $21.5 million in aid: $10.5 million for shelters and more than $11 million for medical, dental and counseling services.
FEMA also will provide nearly $95 million to cover the cost of temporary housing at hotels, meals and other services for evacuees of the Maui fires through November, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced Sunday.
In a statement, Schatz called the $94,557,012 from FEMA “a down payment on what is necessary, but it is essential help. We will keep working as hard as we can to help to bring federal resources for Lahaina’s recovery.”
The FEMA money covers the 90% federal cost share for temporary housing, meals and services through November, Schatz said Sunday.
The state Department of Health said Monday that a trace amount of toluene has for the first time been detected in water samples collected at the Upper Kula Treatment Plant on Maui.
The water from this plant is not covered by the county’s current “do not drink” advisory resulting from the Maui wildfires. DOH says the Upper Kula water system serves part of Maui’s Upcountry area.
Lab reports confirmed the detections of toluene on Aug. 14 and 16, according to DOH, which was notified of the results by the Maui Department of Water Supply on Aug. 28.
Officials said the detected level for toluene at the Upper Kula Treatment Plant was well below the reporting limit — or the smallest concentration detected in a sample that can be considered reliable — of 0.5 part per billion. It was also well below the federal and state maximum contaminant level of 1,000 parts per billion, officials said.
Toluene is predominantly used as an industrial feedstock and a solvent, according to officials. It is also the main component of paint thinner, permanent markers, contact cement and certain types of glue — and it can be discharged from petroleum factories.
“This strongly suggests its presence was an artifact of the wildfire impacting the surface water source for the Upper Kula Treatment Plant,” said DOH in a news release.
Meantime, Regenerating Paradise on Monday offered a longer-term message for fire survivors five years into its ongoing recovery from the Camp fire, which destroyed 14,000 homes and killed 85 people:
“From our experience in Paradise, California, we recommend going slowly and going together.
“There is plenty of time to ‘rebuild.’ What you need to do now is mourn. There has been a tremendous loss. Each of you will find ways to grieve in your own way, and we can’t stress enough how important this is. By grieving what was, you make space for what is next. By feeling the pain and loss, you also come to know the depth of your love, as grief is simply your love without its home. Use this love to move you, it will take you to incredible places. It will show you new possibilities, ones you never would have imagined before the disaster. Dream big, share your dreams with each other, look for commonalities, and find that first simple step towards your collective dream.”
The letter was signed, “Your cousins on the mainland in Paradise.”
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Staff writer Peter Boylan contributed to this report.
