Maui authorities let residents visit burn zone

Hawaii officials were scheduled to lift restrictions Monday to Lahaina, the infamous burn zone from August’s wildfire that swept the island of Maui. The Environmental Protection Agency has cleared several areas of the city, and residents and business owners from those areas will be allowed to return under some supervision. However, the once-familiar neighborhoods may be almost unrecognizable, said Darryl Oliveira, the interim administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency.

What are the residents hoping to return to? Officials want to ensure that the returning Lahaina residents will have the space and privacy to reflect or grieve as they see fit, Oliveira said. For those returning, it could be an opportunity to say goodbye to the past and a chance to look for any mementos that may have survived the fire.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, listen to Sarah Schweinsberg’s report on how a California town was rebuilt after a wildfire killed dozens of people.