LAHAINA, HAWAII: Amidst the ruins that now define Lahaina, there stands a coastal residence miraculously untouched by the catastrophic fires that ravaged the Maui town.
The proprietors of the dwelling, Dora Atwater Millikin and her spouse Dudley Long Millikin III, recently executed relatively minor adjustments to their $4 million abode, potentially instrumental in safeguarding it.
Miraculously spared from devastation
Aerial images depict the red-roofed house, adorned in a bright white exterior, remarkably unscathed amidst the grey and ashen backdrop that envelopes it. The ongoing death toll from the fire has tragically reached 114, with expectations of further escalation.
In an interview with the LA Times, Dora Atwater Millikin, 63, disclosed, "It's a 100 percent wood house so it's not like we fireproofed it or anything." However, the couple did undertake recent measures such as replacing the asphalt roof with a robust metal one and reducing the foliage around the house to minimize termite risks.
These changes were not initially intended for fireproofing, but they ultimately averted the house's ruin. Dora recounted, "When all this was happening, there were pieces of wood - six, 12 inches long - that were on fire and just almost floating through the air with the wind and everything."
These flaming wood pieces posed a risk to other homes with asphalt roofs, which could catch fire upon impact.
Roofs play a pivotal role in a house's susceptibility to fire due to the ample surface area where embers can land. The Millikins were away visiting family in Massachusetts when the fire erupted about a week and a half ago.
Having lived in Maui for almost a decade, they acquired the house approximately three years ago. Dora is an artist whose work centers on New England coastal landscapes, while her husband is a recently retired portfolio manager.
In the aftermath of the fire, county officials reached out to the Millikins to convey that their home had miraculously survived. Since then, many have dubbed their residence a "miracle house."
Rising death toll sparks concern with 1,000 missing
It was reported on Saturday, August 19, that around 1,000 individuals were still missing. Officials told the Daily Mail that the final death toll could reach around 500.
Governor Josh Green refrained from speculating but anticipates that the count could increase by roughly ten people per day in the coming weeks.
The catastrophic wildfires destroyed over 2,200 structures in Lahaina, prompting questions about whether Hawaiian Electric, the main power supplier on the island, was alerted to the potential fire risk beforehand.
The company is also under scrutiny for not implementing emergency contingency plans, such as preemptively cutting power in fire-prone conditions.
As investigations continue amidst the Lahaina rubble, FEMA officials report having searched approximately 78 percent of the affected area. Captivating footage captured a possible ignition point of one of the Maui wildfires.
A video shows a powerline falling during a storm, potentially sparking the tragic fire. This event coincided with an incident recorded by sensors in Hawaiian Electric's grid.
Waikiki paddle-out rally
Over the weekend, a paddle-out event involving 500 participants took place in Waikiki as a show of support for fire-affected individuals. Despite being a last-minute initiative, the event garnered significant attendance from mourners and volunteers.
"Lahaina, it's just - it’s like apocalyptic ground zero action and the smell is gnarly, the energy of the people has been amazingly strong and resilient and I give them a lot of credit for banding together the way they have," said Duane Desoto, the CEO of Na Kama Kai, a company that organized the event.
Deanne Criswell, FEMA's director, expressed hopes that President Joe Biden's scheduled visit to Maui would provide hope and reassurance to the affected community.
Spokespeople for President Biden announced his upcoming visit to Maui as part of his West Coast family vacation, which includes a stay at former presidential candidate Tom Steyer's $18 million residence.
Deanne Criswell emphasized that Biden's visit would allow him to witness the extent of the devastation firsthand and engage with the affected populace.
"He’s also going to be able to talk with people and hear their stories and provide a sense of hope and assurance that the federal government is going to be with them as he has directed," Criswell told ABC's Jonathan Karl on Sunday, August 19 morning.
"I think the biggest thing is he’s going to be able to see what I saw when I went to Maui last week and just really experience the complete and utter devastation that this town had experienced," she added.
