Massachusetts family turns Hawaiian vacation into wildfire humanitarian effort

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — While the death toll in the catastrophic Hawaii wildfires rises, one Massachusetts family turned their three-week vacation into a three-week humanitarian effort.

Nicole Nagata and her family of five from Pittsfield landed in Maui last Tuesday, as the fires became out of control. They were returning to her husband’s family and friends, who grew up on the island.

“To see my husband’s home burning is a feeling I can’t really describe to you,” said Nagata who watched the blaze as their plane descended. “I just kept thinking, ‘How are they going to control these fires?'”

As of Monday, the fires that began Tuesday have killed 96, and officials fear that number will spike. Only 3% of the search area has been covered.

Nicole and her family were brought to safety from the airport, but she recalls evacuations in the middle of the night and severe loss.

She added, “Essentially every single person here knows somebody who lost a loved one or lost everything… You would think that the feeling would be despair and chaos, but it’s not — it’s gratitude.”

Now, the Nagata’s will stay in Maui and help the cleanup effort instead of the 3-week planned trip home for Nicole’s husband.

Nicole finished, “If you’ve ever been here and this island has ever touched your heart, your spirit, understand that this community has always opened its arms to others, to traveler to people that have come here. There is a reason people love these islands, and the local people here need your help.”

You can learn more about how you can help here.