Avoid Vacationing in Maui
Dear Editor,
According to authorities, the death toll of the Maui wildfires rose to 111, after crews scoured 38% of the burned out area. Officials are expecting the number to climb as they continue searching. [cnn.com - 08.17.23] This makes the town of Lahaina in Maui the deadliest US wildfire in over 100 years - surpassing the 2018 Camp Fire in CA, which destroyed the town of Paradise & killed 85 people. [nbcnews.com - 08.14.23] Although Maui officials & residents have been asking tourists to stay away from the island during this time, surprisingly, their requests have elicited hostile & disparaging remarks from many out-of-state commenters who appear to have taken offense. Perhaps the reasons for asking tourists to stay away needed further clarification & explanation? Would the fact that toxic gases & particles from melted plastic, burned cars, electrical wiring, treated wood, household hazardous waste, & paints LINGERING IN THE AIR, GROUND, & WATER help dissuade these vacationers? "When debris or dust is stirred up, hazardous particles enter the air & can be easily breathed in by people. Hazardous (and/or carcinogenic) chemicals can contaminate water supplies. Other obvious hazards include broken glass, downed power lines, and leaking gas lines. Buildings deemed structurally safe can still have hazardous pollutants enter via doors, windows, & other portals - thus making them unsafe." [pbs.org - 08.14.23]
There are now thousands of affected residents who are struggling to find housing. They, along with the emergency response personnel, need places to stay. The local hotels, B&B's, and other rentals are trying to meet those needs by providing accommodations. Vacationers staying in these places would reduce the availability of housing to those who need it the most. [civilbeat.org - 08.11.23 & ketv.com - 08.14.23]
For those people who still insist on vacationing in the areas near Lahaina & are justifying it by claiming they are supporting its tourist industry, the obvious question is... What type of tourist goes to a disaster area for vacation and swims/snorkels in the waters that emergency response crews just recovered dead bodies from? [yahoo.com/news/hawaii-woman-shocked-tourists-back- 08.14.23]
If you are able to help, please make monetary donations to reputable organizations that are helping directly on the ground. If not, at least help remind friends & family to not vacation there until further notice. If the situation was reversed, we would want the same consideration, kindness, & support shown to us by others.
–Aileen Chong-Jeung, Castro Valley
