Wildfires Force Closure of Two Lahaina Post Offices Amidst Hawaii's Deadliest Disaster

LAHAINA, MAUI - The relentless wildfires that have swept through parts of Maui have necessitated the closure of two central post offices in Lahaina. The Lahaina Main Post Office, located at 1760 Honoapiilani Highway, 96761-9998, and the Downtown Lahaina Post Office at 132 Papalaua Street, 96761-9997, remain closed as the island grapples with the ongoing crisis.

For those affected by these closures, mail and retail services have been temporarily relocated to the Wailuku Post Office, located at 250 Imi Kala St., 96793-9998. The Wailuku Post Office will operate from Monday to Saturday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The retail window hours are set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Customers are urged to bring appropriate photo identification when picking up mail and packages.

The wildfires, which ignited on Tuesday night, have left a trail of destruction, with the death toll now confirmed at 67, marking it as the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii's history. The historic town of Lahaina has been particularly hard-hit, with thousands left homeless and six emergency shelters currently in operation.

Lynette "Pinky" Iverson, a beloved figure in Lahaina, shared her harrowing escape to the BBC. "I got to my truck and it was already engulfed in flames around the tires," she said. Despite the peril, Iverson managed to rescue "at least a dozen" people, driving them to safety in her iconic pickup truck. Tragically, she had to watch her own home succumb to the flames.

Steve Strode, a Lahaina resident for ten years, recounted the traumatic experience of having to bypass neighbors in need as he fled the fires. "I had to go around him," he remembered, referring to a disabled man in his apartment complex.

The wildfires, exacerbated by hurricane winds and parched weather conditions, have spread rapidly, causing widespread devastation. As the community rallies to recover, the closure and relocation of the post offices underscore the extensive impact of this disaster.