MAUI, HI — It's been three weeks since devastating wildfires ravaged parts of Maui, Hawaii.
Immediately after, many people including celebrities spoke out telling people not to visit the island. However, within days the same island that was just recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic realized their future depends on visitors.
According to the Maui Economic Development Board, in the first half of 2023, the island saw 1.4 million visitors, with 70% of its economy driven by tourism.
As Lahaina and the west side of the island still come to grips with the devastation, more residents are calling out for help asking people to visit their precious island.
ABC15 spoke with Sean Storm, an Arizona native who has lived in Maui since 2016. In November of 2021, he launched his own tour company called Hawaii by Storm. But since the wildfires, his life and business have capsized.
"This is only the beginning. The devastation economically, physically and everything. It's going to be a long road ahead," said Storm.
Storm tells ABC15 the flames never touched him, however, they've somehow devastated his life.
"Within a matter of hours since the news reports came out about the fires on Maui, cancellation after cancellation started coming through," said Storm.
He says he had to make the difficult decision to lay off his employees so they could get unemployment. He also helped his 'ohana' (a Hawaiian term for family) by taking in some of his employees, including John 'Zero' Campbell who lost his home in Lahaina.
Just days before he was forced to flee his home with the fire right at his doorstep everything changed for Campbell.
"I got hit in the face with a massive wall of dark embers, burning embers, little pebbles and stuff like that. And at that point, the level of heat that hit my face and what was felt on my arms. I thought, okay this fire is so close at this point. There's no time. It's go time! You get out of the fire, out of harm's way," said Campbell.
He left with only the shirt on his back and jumped in his car.
"I'm looking in my rearview mirror and I can see that flames had already started on the roof of my own home. So, it was a very intense situation, obviously. I'd escaped the incoming flame. And then to the point where, even in bumper-to-bumper traffic the thoughts are going through my head about plan B, you know, like what happens if this fire comes down and starts burning structures right next to me? You know, at what point do I need to make the decision about whether to abandon my vehicle and just run," Campbell explained.
When he was finally able to return to his home, nothing was left but ash and rubble.
While Storm and Campbell know there are those on the island who suffered much worse, they say in order for Maui to truly recover, they're asking people to please visit the parts untouched by the wildfires.
"Maui needs your support to preserve the Hawaiian culture, to preserve our way of life and also to experience the aloha and the love that we have. And if people stopped coming, the whole island could experience more catastrophe," said Storm.
Storm has set up a GoFundMe to help his employees for anyone who would like to donate.
The governor of Hawaii has issued travel rules for Maui. West Maui will be closed to visitors through at least October.
