'Tourists Keep Out!' A Hawaiian family is asking visitors to stay away from Lahaina

A Maui family made a sign asking tourists to keep out of Lahaina as rescue efforts continue in the region.

The Lazo family has lived in Hawaii for about 10 generations. They represent a group of locals unhappy with the tourists visiting the island after catastrophic wildfires.

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Lahaina, a tourist spot in West Maui, is home to the Lazo family. Around two million people visit the city every year. The fires destroyed 80 per cent of their land.

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Courtney, a Lazo family member, told ABC News that the locals "haven't even had the time to grieve." In this situation, she finds it inappropriate that tourists are still visiting Hawaii. "You have tourists taking pictures of the destruction in Lahaina while there's still bodies there. They're snorkelling off the waters while people are getting pulled out of the water," Courtney said. "It feels like a slap in the face," she added.

Courtney's uncle Vance Dizon made a sign saying, "Tourists Keep Out." He attached the board to a fence near the border of their vicinity to create an unofficial checkpoint and stop tourists.

According to an Instagram post by a Lazo family member, Tiara Lawrence, Dizon and his brother escaped being burned in a fire by hiding behind a seawall in the ocean. However, Dizon sustained an injury on his arm while running to safety.

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More than 100 people died in the wildfires in Maui, and around 300 people are still missing. Maui authorities are concluding the search and recovery phase after the deadliest wildfires in the history of the United States.

Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the USand hadmore than 10.9 million visitors in 2019. The Hawaiian Tourism Authority has urged visitors to avoid going to West Maui. However, tourists are welcome to visit other areas.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the wildfires, as it has not been officially determined. Authorities are investigating whether the state's power company, Hawaiian Electric, and downed power lines were factors. However, wildfires in Hawaii were made worse by a combination of factors, including weather and land conditions.

(With inputs from agencies)

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