Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfire

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The first of thousands of residents who lost their homes in the wildfire that destroyed the Hawaii town of Lahaina have returned to their devastated properties. Some stopped for a moment of reflection and others searched for mementos among the ruins. (Sept. 26) (AP video by Audrey McAvoy/Mengshin Lin) (AP Production by Ao Gao)

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The first of thousands of residents who lost their homes in the wildfire that destroyed the Hawaii town of Lahaina returned to their devastated properties Monday, with some stopping for a moment of reflection and others searching for mementos among the ruins. (Sept. 26) (AP Production by Ao Gao)

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Residents were allowed to return to their properties for the first time since the devastating wildfire leveled the Hawaii town of Lahaina. At least 97 people were killed and 2,000 buildings were destroyed in the August fire. (Sept. 25) (AP Video by Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Mengshin Lin)

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CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME TO VIERRA INSTEAD OF VERA - Leola Vierra walks through the remains of her home for the first time, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierras are among the couple dozen residents who are able to return to their property in Zone 1-C following August’s deadly wildfire. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra looks at his house for the first time after the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME TO VIERRA INSTEAD OF VERA - Leola Vierra looks at the remnants of her home for the first time, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierras are among the couple dozen residents who are able to return to their property in Zone 1-C following August’s deadly wildfire. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME TO VIERRA INSTEAD OF VERA - Michael Vierra holds his grandfather’s pistol who worked as a Maui police officer in Lahaina, found in the rubble of their house, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierras are among the couple dozen residents who are able to return to their property in Zone 1-C following August’s deadly wildfire. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra walks through the remains of her home for the first time, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierras are among the couple dozen residents who are able to return to their property in Zone 1-C following August’s deadly wildfire. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME TO VIERRA INSTEAD OF VERA - Leola Vierra holds a planter that was part of her cow collection found in the rubble of the porch of her home, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierras are among the couple dozen residents who are able to return to their property in Zone 1-C following August’s deadly wildfire. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra holds his grandfather’s gun found in the rubble of their house on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Vierra’s grandfather worked as a Maui police officer in Lahaina during the 1940s to 1970s. The Vierra’s are among the couple dozens able to return to their property in Zone 1-C. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra holds his grandfather’s gun found in the rubble of their house on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Vierra’s grandfather worked as a Maui police officer in Lahaina during the 1940s to 1970s. The family is among the couple dozens able to return to their property in Zone 1-C. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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A gun belonging to Leola Vierra’s father, who worked as a Maui County policeman in Lahaina from the 1940s to 1970s, and a watch are the few things that the Vierra’s were able to retrieve from their house on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra, center, gets ready to see his home for the first time after the wildfire in August on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra looks at her home for the first time after the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra picks up a planter in the rubble of her home that was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra touches the banyan trees that she planted outside her home which was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra looks at his house after it was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Vierra flew in from Utah to help his parents to go back to their property after the county issued re-entry passes to Zone 1-C. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra looks at his house for the first time after the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra looks at his house after it was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Authorities in Maui strongly encouraged homeowners to wear protective gear provided by nonprofit groups when visiting their properties to protect against asbestos, lead and other toxic remains of the wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael and Leola Vierra walk into their home for the first time after the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra holds a planter that was part of her collection found in the rubble of her porch on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierra’s are among the couple dozens able to return to their property in Zone 1-C. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra walks through her home that was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra walks through her home that was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Debris is scattered where the Vierra’s home on Aa Place was destroyed by the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Debris from the destroyed home of the Vierra’s on Aa Place lies scattered on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Michael Vierra looks at his destroyed house for the first time after the wildfire in August, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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The shell of vehicles stand by the destroyed home of the Vierra’s on Aa Place on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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The shell of a vehicle stands by the destroyed home of the Vierra’s on Aa Place on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Leola Vierra walks passed her home after a county staff placed hazard tape around it on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Vierra’s are among the couple dozens able to return to their property in Zone 1-C. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Debris is scattered around the destroyed home of the Vierra’s on Aa Place on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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A swing is pictured by a burned house on Malo Street on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. A small group of Lahaina residents returned to their devastated properties Monday for the first time since the Hawaii town was destroyed by wildfire nearly seven weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Charred trees and burned cars are pictured on Malo Street, Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii, following Maui’s deadly wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Members of the Hawaii National Guard check on a car passing the checkpoint on Kaniau Road, Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. A small group of Lahaina residents returned to their devastated properties Monday for the first time since the Hawaii town was destroyed by wildfire nearly seven weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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Doctors, who volunteered to stand by for the residents of Kaniau Road on their first day returning to their property following last month’s wildfire, walk in an authorized personnel area on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. A small group of Lahaina residents returned to their devastated properties Monday for the first time since the Hawaii town was destroyed by wildfire nearly seven weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

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The Hawaii National Guard checks on a car passing the checkpoint on Kaniau Street on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Kaniau Street of Zone 1C is the first zone to be cleared for re-entry starting today. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

By AUDREY McAVOY and GENE JOHNSON

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Leola Vierra stepped gingerly among the hardened pools of melted metal, charred wood and broken glass that are almost all that remain of the home where she lived for nearly 50 years.

Sifting through the rubble, she found two cow-patterned vessels, part of her extensive collection of bovine figurines. Nearby, her son discovered the blackened remnants of his late grandfather’s pistol from his days as a Lahaina policeman from the late 1940s to 1970s. There was no sign of the beloved cat, Kitty Kai, that used to greet her when she came home from work and church.

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“I’m so sad — devastated,” she said. “This was my home.”

Vierra, her husband and two adult children returned to the property Tuesday for the first time since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century whipped through on Aug. 8, obliterating the historic town of Lahaina and killing at least 97 people. They were among the first small group of residents to be allowed back into the burn zone to see where their homes once stood.

They wore boots, white coveralls, face masks and gloves to protect them from toxic ash and other dangers, but their visit was cut short after about 15 minutes when workers showed up and cordoned off the property with yellow caution tape.

A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official informed them over the phone that a crew did a “last quality assurance check” on Saturday afternoon and didn’t like not knowing what was underneath the crumpled remnants of the roof. A team would return Wednesday morning and the agency would call with an update, the official said.

Afterward, the family milled about on the sidewalk and looked toward the property. Vierra’s son, Mika, said they would come back when they get clearance so they can look around some more.

The four-bedroom house, which Vierra designed, was in the hills overlooking the ocean on Maui’s coast. It had a pool, which now sits half full, and an outdoor kitchen — she called it the cabana — which is gone.

The family ran four stores that catered to tourists, selling aloha shirts and muumuus along with leis that Vierra’s husband, Mike Vierra, would make from plumeria blossoms he picked in their yard. Three of the stores burned down. Of the family’s dozen plumeria trees, three survived.

Three small banyan trees — one planted for each of her three children — also appeared to have survived and even showed signs of new growth.

Officials opened the first area for reentry — a section of about two dozen parcels in the north of Lahaina — on Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents and property owners could obtain passes to enter the burn zone.

The Vierras have been staying at a resort hotel, like thousands of other survivors whom the government has put up in temporary housing across Maui. They waited until Tuesday so that Mika could join them after arriving from Utah, where he works in sales.

Mika drove to the property with his parents straight from the airport. He said he and his sister have decided to rebuild when the cleanup is done, whenever that is.

“We’ll be sure to rebuild something nice where our old house used to be,” he said.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle.