Maui bushfires: Young Australian family become separated after being forced to evacuate their island home during Hawaii’s worst disaster in 60 years
- Fires on Maui have a death toll of more than 50
- Australian family forced to flee their home
- Mother and children separated from their father
A young Australian family living in Hawaii has no idea if their brand new apartment survived after being forced to evacuate their home during the Maui wildfire disaster.
Nathalie Smith, her husband Matt and their two children, Jacksen, 11, and Kai, six, have lived on Maui, Hawaii’s second largest island, for six years.
Nathalie’s sister, Cassandra Smith, said the catastrophic fire that ripped through Lahaina’s Maui hub left the family with nothing.
The mother-of-two decided it was time for her family to evacuate after flames came within just 200 yards of their new home on Tuesday.
Nathalie and her sons are still awaiting reunion with Matt and have had limited contact with their family in Australia and the outside world.
Nathalie Smith, her husband Matt and their two children, Jacksen, 11, and Kai, six, (pictured together above) may have lost their home in the Maui hotspot of Lahaina
Nathalie and the two children fled their apartment after flames came within 200 yards of the home (photo, aftermath of the Lahaina fire)
“She saw a fire like it was going up, and she also saw because the winds were so strong they knocked down power lines,” Cassandra recounted 7NEWS on Friday.
“She said both sides of the road were on fire and she was riding an empty tank with her sons and thought, ‘That could be it.’
“She really thought that would be it for her.”
At least three major fires broke out in Maui on Tuesday night: one in Lahaina on the west coast of the island and two in the center of the island.
The damage has cut off the western side of Maui from the rest of civilization.
Cassandra has only spoken to her sister a few times since her family fled their home without Matt, who was in another part of the island when disaster struck.
“It was so sudden… no one knew it would come so soon,” she said.
“I know she left with what she’s got on her back and as far as we know they’ve got nothing else.”
Father Matt was unable to reach his family in Lahaina because he was in a different part of Maui when the fires hit (pictured, police blocking access to Lahaina)
The young Australian family of four (pictured together above) has lived on Maui for six years
Due to the lack of communication, Nathalie is also unaware of the extent of the devastation the fires have caused in her home for six years.
The death toll for the fires rose to 55 (local Hawaii time) on Thursday night, and at least 271 buildings have been destroyed.
The fires are the worst disaster to hit the island since a horrific tsunami in 1960 that killed 61 people.
The U.S. National Weather Service said the fires were fanned by the winds from Hurricane Dora, as well as low humidity and dry vegetation.
Cassandra has one GoFundMe for her sister’s family and other friends on Maui.
At least three major fires started Tuesday night in Maui — one in Lahaina on the west coast of the island and two in the center of the island (pictured, aftermath of the Lahaina fire)
Nathalie’s sister Cassandra said the Smiths “know several families that lost everything” (photo, aftermath of the Lahaina fire)
“We know several families who have lost everything,” she said.
More than $3,500 has been donated to date.
US President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii, allowing affected people and businesses to apply for federal grants for housing and economic recovery.