We thought we had found paradise in Maui, which is gorgeous in so many ways, until recently when we woke up in the middle of the night to find our condo full of the smell of smoke. In the morning, there was soot and ash covering our lanai and our rental car. This happened several nights after, due to the cane field fires.
We would feel reluctant to return to Maui because of this issue. Considering that we will spend about $10,000 in our month here, this situation has the potential of being very costly to Maui's economy. In addition to the very unpleasant smell that fills our living space, the potential health effects from breathing in this smoke every night are a huge concern to us.
Would it not be in the tourist industry's best interest to strongly oppose these fires due to their extremely unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects?
John Boxall and Aline Boxall Bretecher
Victoria, British Columbia
