Evacuees live nomadic life after Maui wildfire as housing shortage intensifies and tourists return
https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-maui-wildfires-lahaina-housing-5a43b95a20e17dd3679c6ebc580994c7
Evacuees live nomadic life after Maui wildfire as housing shortage intensifies and tourists return
BY AUDREY MCAVOY
Updated 2:10 AM EDT, October 21, 2023
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) Charles Nahale spent a restless night trying to sleep in the back seat of his pickup truck after a wildfire destroyed his home and the town of Lahaina. The next two nights werent much better: The singer and guitarist put his feet on one chair and sat in another as he took refuge on the grounds of an evacuated hotel where he once performed for guests.
Nahale eventually found a timeshare condo with a bed, shower and kitchen lodging he was able to keep until Friday, when, yet again, he had to move, this time with officials setting him up in a different hotel condo.
He is one of many whose lives have become transient since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century left at least 99 people dead. The blaze destroyed thousands of buildings and unmoored residents who now face myriad challenges posed by Mauis location and status as a vacation hub.
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