Hawaii wildfires: Family with SoCal ties now separated after 3 homes destroyed in Maui fires - KABC-TV

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Tuesday, August 15, 2023 2:13AM

Family with SoCal ties loses 3 homes in Hawaii wildfires

LAHAINA, Hawaii (KABC) -- The Maui wildfires have been especially difficult for the Jacinto family.

The three homes they owned in Lahaina - which housed roughly 20 members of the family - were destroyed. They're now separated.

Edith Jacinto is staying with a friend as she cares for her 83-year-old mother Victoria.

"My mom's health has been very fragile. She has diabetes, she has COPD, asthma. She needs oxygen 24/7," said Edith Jacinto, who was born and raised in Lahaina. "I thought COVID was hard. That's nothing compared to what we're going through right now."

Victoria said she wouldn't know what to do without her daughter.

Edith has had to make sure her mother has enough oxygen supply, first relying on a local fire department after she barely made it out of Lahaina alive. She injured her foot as she ran from the flames.

She said the scariest thing was getting her parents and dog to safety.

"Every time I ask my daughter when we will go home she says 'We cannot go over there because of your condition. All of the smoke is not good for you,'" Victoria said.

The Jacinto family has relatives in Southern California who have stepped up, including Downey resident Shanice Dickson.

"All I could think about was my family and just hoping that they were OK," Dickson said. "It's definitely been rough considering Maui is my second home."

Dickson's mother used to live in Lahaina and they were just there in April.

"I keep on telling myself, 'I can't believe this happened. I don't want to believe it.' Specifically, Lahaina it's such a warming and welcoming community," Dickson said. "Everybody feels like family there. To see the images on social media, the news, it breaks my heart."