Some Lahaina residents will be allowed into their neighborhood on Monday to see what is left of their homes, for the first time since wildfires swept across parts of Maui on Aug. 8 and killed at least 97 people, making it one of the nation’s deadliest disasters.

The center of Lahaina, a town on the western shore of Maui, has been off limits for the last six weeks, fenced off and patrolled by National Guard troops, to allow crews to conduct mop-up firefighting operations and assess and clean up hazardous materials.

The first neighborhood to be reopened is at the westernmost edge of the burn zone, on the way from downtown Lahaina to the resort area of Ka’anapali. As more neighborhoods are deemed safe, they, too, will be opened to residents who show proof of residency and obtain a re-entry permit, officials said at a public informational meeting in Lahaina on Sept. 22.

Full Story: NYT September 18, 2023