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- More from CBS News
- Priceless connections to Hawaii's ancient past were lost when cultural center burned
- Rebuilding Lahaina: Homeowners In The Seaside Town May Get A Reprieve From Coastal Zone Rules
- Local
- Ke Ao Maluhia at Maui Lani welcomes first family of residents with keys; Marks milestone for wildfire survivors
- A ‘Miracle House’ in Lahaina Survived the Devastating Maui Wildfires. It’s a Lesson in Nontraditional Lawns
This isn’t even the first major fire, although it’s by far the worst in terms of deaths and property destruction. On a section of Front Street in the town of Lahaina, every structure has been charred and replaced with squares of ash – except one. Millikin and his wife bought the property in 2021, working with the county on a historic preservation plan before embarking on a nearly two-year renovation project. They did much of the work themselves, along with a local carpenter and the help of neighbors.
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The devastating wildfires burned down over 2,200 buildings in the town of Lahaina, and questions have been raised over whether Hawaiian Electric - the island's main power supplier - was warned about the potential fires before they erupted. In places where wildfires are historically frequent, many trees have adapted to resist or even rely on wildfires. Regular large wildfires weren’t common in the Hawaiian islands until recently, and so in general the islands’ native plants aren’t equipped to deal with regular fires, the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife says.
Priceless connections to Hawaii's ancient past were lost when cultural center burned
After the renovation, the house was nominated to join the National Registry of Historical places. Identified as the Pioneer Mill Company/Lahaina Ice Company Bookkeeper's House, the dwelling was used by bookkeepers of a company that did everything from delivering ice and soda water to selling electric power to the town of Lahaina. Photos of the wooden house, standing intact while its neighbors were reduced to ashes, quickly became an online fascination. Millikin was in Massachusetts when the Aug. 8 fire broke out in Lahaina. But the next day, he received a picture – in the middle of dozens of piles of ash stood his home, largely untouched. Suddenly, he had what some are dubbing on social media as a "miracle house," often seen in the aftermath of fires in places like California.
Rebuilding Lahaina: Homeowners In The Seaside Town May Get A Reprieve From Coastal Zone Rules
Many people live in homes where they don’t care for their lawns because they’re renters. It’s hard to keep track of local precipitation to find out when you should supplement with sprinklers. And people may buy homes with lawns they simply don’t know the details about. In the morning, a friend called and sent them a picture from a helicopter flyover of Lahaina. But there, in the midst of the destruction, was the seemingly untouched red roof of Millikin’s home.
Surrounded by devastation, this is what may have saved a ‘miracle house’ in Lahaina - Hawaii News Now
Surrounded by devastation, this is what may have saved a ‘miracle house’ in Lahaina.
Posted: Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Commercial District Rules Still Up In The Air
“What folks in the wildfire business call the zone zero or the ember ignition zone, is kind of a key factor in whether homes do or do not burn down,” Wara said. The house is what’s known as a craftsman-inspired “plantation vernacular” dwelling, a style of homes constructed mostly by sugar and pineapple plantation companies in the early 20th century. Bookkeeper’s House, is believed to have been moved to Front Street in 1925 from a nearby plantation.
There are many questions about when residents of the worst-hit parts of Lahaina might be able to come and survey what's left of their community. MAUI, Hawaii — When an inferno tore through Lahaina on the island of Maui, it reduced a historic and charming town to ash and rubble. But the fire left a red-roofed house seemingly untouched by the devastation around it. The owner of a “miracle house” in Lahaina that was spared from the devastating Maui wildfires says he feels uncomfortable with the description when so many of his neighbour’s homes were destroyed. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the main way wildfires ignite homes is with small fires and embers, which are tiny pieces of burning wood or vegetation that float with the wind. And these small fires and embers don’t have to come from the main fire itself.
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New Maui shoreline setback rules were adopted by the Maui Planning Commission in November but have not been signed by the mayor. Those establish a shoreline setback of as much as 200 feet in some instances. But it’s not clear when or if Mayor Richard Bissen will sign those into law. There’s the potential application of historic preservation and environmental review laws to some projects, which could trigger the need for archaeological studies and environmental assessments or environmental impact statements, Abbott said.
Ke Ao Maluhia at Maui Lani welcomes first family of residents with keys; Marks milestone for wildfire survivors
The Millikins, who started living in Lahaina more than a decade ago, used to bicycle by the house and talk about what it would take to fix the sagging roof, the rotting lanai, the peeling paint. Experts say it was likely a little bit of all the above, but that one element of the home’s recent renovation is actually the most affordable and important thing people can do to try and protect their homes. "The world I knew is gone and will never come back, and my heart is broken." "They're part of our ohana," Millikin said, using the Hawaiian term for family. "And when this is all over, we're going to have them all there to celebrate that house."
A ‘Miracle House’ in Lahaina Survived the Devastating Maui Wildfires. It’s a Lesson in Nontraditional Lawns
The homeowners purchased the house, which is believed to be nearly 100 years old, in 2021, and began a two-year renovation project in line with a historic preservation plan. The modular homes are each just under 600 square feet with two bedrooms. To apply, residents must be verified as impacted by the Maui wildfires. Monthly rent is set at $2,500 and will include water, sewer, and trash collection. Minimum occupancy per unit is two people, with maximum occupancy set at five people per unit. According to Popular Mechanics, the so-called "miracle house" was primarily protected by its three-foot-wide stretch of river rock that surrounds the building.
In a breathtaking photo, the lone, 100-year-old wooden house on Front Street is seen unscathed alongside numerous other properties that have been turned to ash and rubble. Still, Callies said, given Lahaina’s proximity to the ocean, it’s conceivable someone would go to court to limit or stop rebuilding, even if property owners wanted to go back home. As part of the process, the owners consulted guidelines for building in Lahaina’s historic district and learned a steel roof wasn’t merely fire resistant but consistent with the area’s historic architecture.
The so-called “Miracle House” has entranced the internet, where people are speculating about what could have spared the house. In truth, it’s probably due to a mix of factors, not least of which is luck. Earlier this month, a large, devastating fire in Maui—the second-largest island in Hawaii—caused at least 100 confirmed deaths so far, and left many people missing or injured in the town of Lahaina. The press has called it a “bush fire,” which is a term that refers to fires that burn through a specific kind of often arid landscape that has been stripped of some vegetation by development or industry. That doesn’t sound like the image of Hawaii that most of us conjure in our minds, but the islands have experienced a very hot, dry summer.
Multifamily home and commercial properties would need to go through this “major permit” process, which means Maui County might have to hold hundreds of public hearings. First, the Coastal Zone Management Act has been suspended for Lahaina under Gov. Josh Green’s Emergency Proclamation Relating To Wildfires, said Mary Alice Evans, director of the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. The office administers Hawaii’s CZMA, which governs much of Lahaina’s burn zone. Shoreline setbacks or a retreat from the water so far aren’t getting much traction under state and county planning efforts.
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