‘Very, very scary.’ Former Fayetteville radio reporter watches fires devastate Maui
As massive fires spread across the Hawaiian island of Maui this week, burning down homes, businesses and towns, and killing at least 55 people, former Fayetteville resident Lisa Schell watched from her living room window and worried.
“Oh at its worst, with binoculars I was seeing huge flames licking up and moving quite, quite rapidly. Particularly across the valley — the isthmus — in central Maui towards the town of Kihei,” Schell said Thursday. “It was scary, spectacular, mesmerizing. And very, very scary. That’s just the most succinct word I can put on it.”
Schell said she was not in danger on Thursday. A small fire started Tuesday on agricultural land near her home, she said, but the wind pushed it away.
The fires started early Tuesday and were fostered by high winds and dry conditions, The Associated Press reported. They spread quickly across farmland, open areas with dry grass, and into towns, Schell said.
Schell was born and raised in Hawaii, then moved to Fayetteville after she graduated from college. From 1985 to 1989 she was a radio journalist at WLFB and WFNC. Then she moved to Raleigh to work at WPTF radio. Later, she worked as a public information officer for several state agencies. After retiring, Schell moved back to Hawaii two years ago.
Everyone on Maui is affected by the disaster, Schell said — she and others who did not have to evacuate are raising money, donating clothing and supplies, and volunteering to help each other. Her home is available if someone needs a place to stay, she said.
‘Burned down to ashes’ Why devastated Lahaina Town is such a cherished place on Maui
Schell’s next-door neighbor is housing people from the fire zone, she said, including a 14-year-old from Lahaina whose home was wiped out. USA TODAY reported on Thursday at least 250 structures in Lahaina were damaged or destroyed by the fire. The neighbor also picked up two dogs from the animal shelter to provide emergency foster care, she said.
The Maui Humane Society said it was over capacity before the fires brought in more animals needing shelter.
“We hear the cliché, the ‘Aloha Spirit,’” Schell said. “That is really a thing. And it is something that is one of the reasons that I wanted to come back home after being away for so long, is because people really do care about each other in this community. And it’s pretty amazing.”
How to help victims of the Hawaiian wildfires
Some resources for people to donate to help victims of the fires:
Donate to the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation, at hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong.
The Maui Food Bank is taking donations at mauifoodbank.org/donate.
Donate to GlobalGiving’s Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund, at globalgiving.org/projects/hawaii-wildfire-relief-fund/.
Donate to the Maui Humane Society at mauihumanesociety.org to help it provide care and shelter for displaced pets.
Schell paints watercolors and said she will paint a portrait of the pets of people who donate to the Maui Humane Society. Send her a direct message on Instagram, at @lischell, with a pictures of a donation receipt and of your pet to make arrangements.
Senior North Carolina reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at 910-261-4710 and pwoolverton@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: In Maui, former Fayetteville journalist watches fires, helps victims
