Maui, Hawaii wildfires impact 2 Philadelphia-area families
MAUI, Hawaii (CBS) -- It's not the trip to Maui the Dubuque family had dreamed about for a year.
First, the Delran, New Jersey, family noticed a strong wind while at a beach on the Hawaiian island. And then came the smoke.
"By the time we got back to our hotel rooms and Tuesday evening came, a full fire had started, and you could see that from our balcony," Jaimie Dubuque told CBS News Philadelphia. "You could actually see the flames in the sky of the fire that was starting."
The Dubuques are one of two families we spoke to whose trips were impacted by the wildfires scorching Hawaii's island of Maui.
The impacts of the fires have been devastating. Dozens of people have been killed and others are missing, with officials warning that death tolls may rise. Much of the historic Hawaiian city of Lahaina has been reduced to smoldering ruins, with some residents forced to jump into the ocean to escape the flames.
Maui is a hugely popular tourist destination and these two families were greatly anticipating their trips there. But both say the experience has been frightening and confusing. Because of power outages, communication and getting information have been very tough.
That, on top of concerns for their families' safety and coping with the devastation they're witnessing all around them.
Liza Delizia and her family were in Lahaina when the fires started. They were celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary.
"It all happened pretty fast," she said.
READ MORE: Map, satellite images show where Hawaii fires burned throughout Lahaina, Maui
It took the Radnor family three days to get to safety before they could finally evacuate Thursday.
"You try to be brave for your kids and act like nothing is going on," Delizia said. "But it got a little scary. I feel like all I can do is think about all the people that had such loss."
RELATED: Pennsylvania Task Force One sends 2 members to help Hawaii firefighters in Maui
The Dubuques have been without power since Tuesday and Jaimie has been charging her phone in the car.
She even had to rely on family back in New Jersey to help book an Airbnb away from the fires.
But the struggle hasn't ended there.
"Any time that you're in line for food in Kahana, you are looking at an hour and a half to a three-hour wait to try to get meals," Dubuque said. "So they have essentially have ... a food truck set up, and the one restaurant was serving. And the one restaurant ... they ran out of food before we got up there."
Dubuque sent a video showing long lines waiting for food.
Delizia was able to find a place to stay with a friend of a friend from Philly who lives on the island.
And now, they're trying to get flights home.
Meantime, the Dubuque family is set to come home Sunday, the earliest flight they could find.
What's keeping these Delalware Valley families going amid the destruction: they know they will be fortunate enough to eventually come home.
"People who are literally collapsing on the parking lot and sobbing because they have lost family members ... when you see that perspective, it is a little bit easier to handle," Dubuque said.
And that is what's keeping these Delaware Valley families going amid the destruction. They know they will be fortunate enough to eventually come home.
