More than 10 weeks after the Aug. 8 fires, Lahaina residents and business owners will have access to three more areas in the burn zone starting Monday, including parts of historic Front Street.
The areas are Zone 13-A — Kauaula Road and Shaw and Front streets, Zone 13-B — Kauaula Road, Kamano Place and Shaw, Ilikahi and Alio streets; and Zone 13-C — Wainee and Shaw streets and Kauaula Road. But Lahaina Shores remains off limits because of structural safety concerns, Maui County officials said Thursday.
Owners and residents must show proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill, to get mandatory vehicle passes starting today. Passes are available at either the Lahaina Civic Center or the Maui County Kalana o Maui building lobby. The U.S. Coast Guard also plans to lift some restrictions, according to the county. For the latest information, visit https://808ne.ws/3Fn9Eaf.
Also Thursday, Hawaiian Electric said it has restored service to more than 95% of customers in West and Upcountry Maui, but about 300 customers are still without power in Lahaina, including the devastated Wahikuli area.
State Sen. Angus McKelvey, who lost his condo in the Lahaina wildfire, said he discontinued electrical service and he said other residents who cannot move back home should too.
McKelvey called the Wahikuli area “decimated pretty much across the board. The whole thing’s a toxic ruin. That area was wasted.”
On Monday, Hawaiian Electric announced that it will extend its moratorium on disconnecting service for all Maui customers which was scheduled to be lifted this week. The state Public Utilities Commission ordered the extension, which is now scheduled to end Nov. 6. Hawaiian Electric said a future extension is possible.
Customers are still responsible for paying their bills.
But Hawaiian Electric said it will work with them “so payment options and schedules can be arranged to help keep payments manageable.”
Financially struggling customers should call Hawaiian Electric at 808-871-9777 or visit hawaiianelectric.com/paymentarrangement for a list of payment plans and to submit a payment request form. Late fees and interest charges are waived while on a payment plan, Hawaiian Electric said.
On Thursday, Hawaiian Electric said Maui emergency management officials requested the company begin restoring service in September for wastewater pumps, traffic signals and telecommunication services.
“Other rebuilding work includes the construction of approximately 600 feet of underground electrical infrastructure to support the installation of a substation transformer at the company’s Lahainaluna Substation mauka of the Lahaina Bypass along Lahainaluna Road,” Hawaiian Electric said in a news release. “This work helps to improve service reliability to the neighborhoods in Lahainaluna, Puamana, and Launiupoko to Olowalu area, as these areas were formerly supported by the Lahaina Substation, which was destroyed during the wildfires. Customers in these areas are currently being served by two temporary mobile substations that were installed in late August as part of ongoing restoration efforts. Once the undergrounding and installation of the new transformer at the Lahainaluna Substation is complete, it will allow for the removal of one of the temporary mobile substations.”
“Work also includes restoring a third transmission line along its former route through Lahaina town with the installation of new interim poles and electrical equipment. This temporary overhead infrastructure aids service reliability, as this transmission line provides a backup route of power to West Maui, including neighborhoods in Puukolii, Mahinahina, Napili, Kaanapali, and Kapalua.
“Until the repairs of this third transmission line are complete — anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2024 — West Maui customers may experience extended outages because power cannot currently be rerouted from another circuit.”
The state Emergency Management Agency, meanwhile, announced Thursday that it has produced an interactive map of Hawaii’s 418 alert and warning sirens and their operational status for the most recent monthly test. According to HI-EMA, 326 — or 78% — are fully operational, and 29 — or 6.9% — require maintenance. Another 37 — or 8.9% — require maintenance “with contracting support;” and 26 — or 6.2% — are “inoperable and beyond repair.”
Warning sirens were not activated during the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire, which killed at least 99 people, resulting in a change of policy to use them for any emergency to alert people to tune in to radio or television broadcasts for updates.
In a statement, HI-EMA Administrator James Barros said, “Some of those blacked- out sirens are close to 60 years old and they need to be replaced, but because of development in the area the sites are no longer suitable. Others have been destroyed by lightning, vandalism or drunk drivers, and at least three burned in the Maui wildfires. This new tool will enable the public to check on the operational status of all the sirens in their communities.”
