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Vol. 30 No. 35
AUGUST 24 - 30, 2023
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the deadly wildfires that swept through Lahaina turned the sky orange.
Photos courtesy Brad Starks
Fire ravages western Maui in the worst natural disaster in Hawaii’s history.
Monet Baniqued’s home after the fire.
Lynbrook woman’s family lost everything in Maui wildfires By NIColE FoRMISANo nformisano@liherald.com
“Go! Go! Pack the important stuff,” Monet Baniqued’s brother shouted. A couple of minutes later, the smoke had turned the day to night. The hot air stung their faces, and the smell of burning houses filled the air. Baniqued and her family had no choice but to leave almost everything behind. They would never see their home in Lahaina intact again. The Aug. 8 wildfires in western Maui took more than 100 lives, destroyed nearly 3,000
homes, and were “the worst natural disaster Hawaii ever faced,” Gov. Josh Green said. The financial damage is estimated to be $6 billion. The personal losses suffered by residents are incalculable. Baniqued’s niece, Lynbrook resident Marian Cerisier, has started a GoFundMe campaign for her family in Maui. Baniqued, her husband, Johnny, and their three teenage daughters, Kathleen Chloe, 18, Keith Nove, 16, and Khimberly, 13, lived with Monet’s brothers, Emerito and Benedic Palacio, and their wives, Noralyn and Joey. Benedic has two young
I
t was literally like hell on earth coming toward us.
BRAd STARkS Maui resident children, Emmanuela and Alexandra, ages 6 and 5. The family emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii in 2013. The house in Lahaina was the manifestation of Baniqued’s parents’ dream for their family. Now all that’s left is ash.
The fire
B a n i q u e d w a s r e l i eve d when, at around 11 a.m. on Aug. 8, officials said that local bushfires had been “100 percent contained.” A few hours later, with no warning, no communication from officials, the terrible smell of houses on fire alerted them that something was wrong. “Nobody warned us that we
needed to leave,” Baniqued recalled. “We just did it ourselves.” They managed to grab their passports and some clothes. Her daughters were sobbing, holding whatever they could, begging their mom to hurry up. “We could not go back anymore to get more for ourContinued on page 18