Beloved banyan tree still standing emerges as sign of hope in Hawaii wildfires
As wildfires raced across the island of Maui, a sign of hope has emerged as a large banyan tree in the heart of Old Lahaina appears to have emerged from the blaze scorched, but still standing.
As residents return to their communities and face destruction and loss, they're looking to the tree as a symbol of not only the devastation they have faced but also hope.
Officials have confirmed 80 people have died as a result of the wildfires which ripped through the Hawaiin island as of 9pm local time on Friday, August 11. Several wildfires spread across the island last week, spurred on by a perfect storm of dry conditions and hurricane winds, and were still not fully contained as of Friday night.
Lahaina was hit particularly hard by one of the most serious blazes, which swept into the area on Tuesday, August 8. Devastation in Lahaina included nearly every building on Front Street, the heart of historic Lahaina and Maui's economic hub.
A man sits on the Lahaina historic banyan tree damaged by a wildfire (AP)But the giant banyan tree still stands. It was just an eight-foot sapling when it was planted in 1873 as a gift shipped from India, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina, which was Hawaii's capital at the time. Its sprawling branches, some of which now stretch more than 60 feet, have provided shade to many generations on the island.
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60-year-old John-Mario Sevilla grew up in Maui, and would often visit Lahaina with his family. Speaking to NBC News he recalled sitting in church as the ocean breeze blew in through open windows, and watching traditional dancing under the banyan tree.
Much of Lahaina was destroyed by the fire, displacing hundreds of families who are coming to terms with potentially having lost everything. Among the damage was the historic tree, which marked the place where King Kamehameha's first palace stood.
Aerial image shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina (AFP via Getty Images)As the fires began to die down, photos were posted online of the tree, burned but still standing. Some said it shows the resilience of Hawaii and its residents.
"Banyan Tree in Lahaina smouldering at the base, but still standing. Just about the only thing left, other than the Lighthouse," said Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, August 10.
On Friday, August 11, Maui officials posted updates saying that the tree is "charred", and said: "It's said that if the roots are healthy, it will likely grow back, but it looks burned yet standing".
Other residents took to X to share their memories of the historic tree. One user, who goes by the handle @HawaiiDelilah, wrote: "The Banyan Tree embodies the deep & resilient spirit of Lahaina, made for renewal. That's our ethos in Maui."
Burnt cars stand amongst a destroyed neighborhood in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina (AFP via Getty Images)In another post, she wrote: "There is nothing that has made me cry more today than the thought of the Banyan Tree in my hometown of Lahaina. We will rebuild. And the natural beauty of Maui will be forever."
As of Friday evening the fires in Lahaina were 85 per cent contained, according to officials. However, they warned: "But remember that it was said to be 100 per cent contained hours before it flared up and destroyed the entire town".
A curfew has been put in place from 10pm to 6am daily in Historic Lahaina Town. The harbour has gone, and residents have no power or drinkable water.
Destroyed homes and buildings on the waterfront in Lahaina which was ravaged by the wildfire (AFP via Getty Images)Officials have warned people not to drink running water, which may be contaminated even after boiling. They've also been advised to only take short, lukewarm showers in well-ventilated rooms to avoid possible chemical vapour exposure.
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Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University engineering professor whose team assisted with the Camp Fire and Colorado's 2021 Marshall Fire, said showering in water potentially containing hazardous waste levels of benzene is not advisable and a do-not-use order would be appropriate until analysis is complete.
The wildfires in Hawaii this summer are already set to be the second-costliest disaster in the state's history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992, according to disaster and risk modelling firm Karen Clark & Company. The fire is the deadliest in the US since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and decimated the town of Paradise.
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