Lahaina Residents Begin Returning To Sites Of Homes Destroyed In Deadly Wildfire

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Some Lahaina residents are returning to their devastated properties for the first time since the historic Hawaii town was destroyed by wildfire nearly seven weeks ago.

Authorities on Monday allowed residents into the first area to be cleared for reentry.

It’s a zone of about two dozen parcels in the northern part of Lahaina.

The wildfire killed at least 97 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, most of them homes.

Officials urged residents not to sift through the ashes for fear of raising toxic dust.