More than two years after a wildfire consumed his house and 25 other homes in Upcountry, Kula resident Thomas Liu has rebuilt his main residence and is working with various groups to make sure a similar disaster doesn’t happen again.
Liu, 85, recalled how winds blowing 50 to 80 mph drove the fire through the nearby gulch before it burned his house and several others.
Liu said he decided to rebuild because of help from neighbors and other people who provided him with food and shelter after the fire. They’re also helping clear the nearby gulch to prevent future fires. “It’s the support of the community,” Liu said. “The people are wonderful.”
