Daniel Skousen is concerned about the lingering ash and soot on his Maui home due to the deadly wildfire that ravaged Lahaina in August. He’s unsure about the source of the burning-trash-barrel smell and hesitant to trust government agencies’ assessment on when it will be safe to return.
The potential influence of political and economic motives to revive Maui’s tourism industry, which usually generates $14 million daily, has further raised Skousen’s concerns about testing results accuracy. “It appears very important to them to get that tourism tax revenue back,” said Skousen. “It makes you wonder if the testing will be biased.”
While Skousen’s home was filled with ash and lost its windows, the structure remains intact, giving him hopes of returning one day. However, the home next to his was completely destroyed.
He seeks an independent evaluation of government environmental assessments from an expert with ties to the community. However, obtaining the raw data isn’t easy, and experts are unsure of the long-term health effects from fires like the one that devastated Lahaina.
The environmental hazards left after the wildfire, including dangerous chemicals emanating from the melted materials, are a growing concern for Lahaina residents. Even professionally remediated homes can still hold ash and toxic substances due to the wind spreading fine particulate matter into every crevice.
The aftermath of the fire led to concerns about the town’s water safety, residents being displaced and the impact on children and pregnant individuals. State and federal agencies have provided regular updates, and measures have been taken to minimize the environmental hazards spread.
However, some residents and local businesses have expressed skepticism about the cleanup efforts and believe that information is being withheld by the authorities.
Artist Andrew Shoemaker, for instance, refrains from returning to the burned areas due to health concerns. He worries about the release of dioxins from the burned materials, which can have serious long-term health consequences.
While air quality is being monitored, off-gassing of volatile organic compounds continues to pose a risk to residents and cleanup workers, even with careful monitoring.
Skousen, a teacher and small business owner, is also wary of the situation and has opted to homeschool his kids outside Lahaina due to potential health hazards. Furthermore, the guidelines for human exposure to pollutants are based on industrial settings and may not be directly applicable to residential homes.
