Maui's Banyan Tree Sprouts New Leaves After Deadly Fires; Signals Hope For Victims

(Photo : Getty Images/Paula Ramon)

The Banyan Tree in wildfire-stricken Maui has started to sprout leaves, giving hope to the deadly blaze that hit the island last month.

The 150-year-old tree, which is considered as a cultural landmark, is situated in the courthouse square along Lahaina's famous Front Street.

The historical tree is the largest one of its kind in the United States, having a size of more than 60 feet.

Prior to the deadly fires, the Banayan Tree is commonly used as the gathering place for Lahaina residents, especially during occasions among families and the neighborhood.

Residents in the have since believed that seeing the tree's leaves grow brings hope for the community.

Wildfire-hit tree

To recall, the Banayan Tree was among those hit by the massive wildfires.

Governor Josh Green earlier said that despite the tree not producing as much sap as usual, it is still observed to be breathing and soaking up water.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation said that the tree was reportedly planted on April 24,1873, marking the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission of the town.

While affected by the fires, an arborist said that the tree could still grow as some species may recover from wildfire by resprouting.

Experts said that the underground protection for dormant buds and nutrient reserves in the root system enables rapid sprouting after a fire.

Road to recovery

When it comes to the casualties brought by the wildfires, the Maui Police Department said that as of September 15, the number of fatalities is 97, which was a decrease from the 115 that was previously reported.

The new number was reached based on factors including obtaining DNA profiles during the examination of the remains of the victims.

Authorities said that 99 percent of the Lahaina disaster area was already searched by rescue teams and cadaver dogs.

Meanwhile, authorities still need the help of survivors in identifying individuals who have been reported unaccounted for following the Lahaina wildfire disaster. The validated list of names is available at mauinuistrong.info/unaccountedfor.

Officials said that if the residents recognize a name on the list and they know the person to be safe, or have additional information that may help locate them, they may contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at (888) 814-7693 or go to www.fbi.gov/MauiFires.

Fire personnel also gave updates on the containment of fires:

Olinda fire: 90% contained. Estimated 1,081 acres.
Kula fire: 96% contained. Estimated 202 acres.
Lahaina fire: 100% contained. Estimated 2,170 acres.

Officials from the Maui Fire Department have advised the public that extinguishing the Upcountry fires may take an extended period of time given the large burn area and the nature of the rural terrain.

Although containment percentages have not changed over recent days, the MFD continues to reassure the public that there are no active threats among the three ongoing fires.

Meanwhile, on September 12, the Department of Water Supply already announced that the Unsafe Water Advisory for Upper Kula has been amended to remove Zone 1 from the affected area. Water serving homes and buildings in Zone 1 has been determined to be safe for unrestricted use.

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