Public works official named Maui wildfire recovery leader
John Smith was instrumental in leading infrastructure restoration efforts following the wildfires, county officials said, and will oversee the county’s recovery efforts. Read more
Maui Wildfires
FEMA seeks vacant lots for temporary housing for Maui fire survivors
The agency is interested in leasing land in or near Lahaina that will remain undeveloped for the next two to three years, providing an opportunity for property owners to support recovery efforts. Read more
Lahaina teacher runs in marathons for survivors
Lahaina Intermediate School teacher Nathan Kahaiali‘i is running his third Honolulu Marathon on Sunday. Read more
First FEMA modular homes ready for Maui fire survivors
The first 24 homes in FEMA’s 167-unit temporary housing community called Kilohana were provided to fire survivors over the past weekend. Read more
Maui County finds new site to bury wildfire debris
Maui County has tentatively secured land to enlarge the only major municipal solid waste landfill on the Valley Isle and bury debris from the August 2023 wildfire that destroyed most of Lahaina. Read more
Lahaina ohana completes first home rebuild in fire zone
Maui County’s Recovery Permit Center has issued over 254 building permits, and more than 120 homes were being rebuilt in fire-affected areas in Lahaina and Kula. Read more
Below-market rentals, awards program support Lahaina educators
Hawaii Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi said one out of every three West Maui educators was displaced from housing by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire. Read more
$4B settlement of Maui fire claims is tangled up in court
The ashes of last summer’s devastating fire in Lahaina, which killed 102 people and destroyed the town, were still smoldering when talk turned to how fraught the rebuilding process would be. Read more
FEMA extends assistance to Maui survivors; Schatz asks for further aid
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Hawaii’s request to extend Financial Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for an additional year, now through Feb. 10, 2026. Originally, the 18-month assistance period was scheduled to end on Feb. 10, 2025. Read more
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Hawaiian Electric removes ‘going concern’ warning in latest earnings report
HEI’s dividend continues to be suspended, the company said. Read more
Hawaiian Electric claims gains in cutting fire risk
Hawaii’s largest electrical utility plans to spend $300 million over the next three years on top of $120 million this year to reduce wildfire risk. Read more
Lahainaluna Road’s full reopening marks recovery milestone
The road officially reopened at 6 a.m. Friday, officials said, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed all debris removal in the area. Read more
Coast Guard members, civilians honored for Lahaina heroism
Both national and international organizations are recognizing Coast Guard and civilian mariners who responded to the deadly 2023 Lahaina fire for heroism at sea. Read more
MEMA awards contract for emergency technology
The County of Maui Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that it has awarded a four-year contract to Genasys Inc. to provide two advanced public safety and emergency management software platforms. Read more
Visitor arrivals still recovering from the pandemic, Maui wildfires
Visitor arrivals in Septem- ber recovered to 96% of September 2019’s pre-pandemic level — the best recovery rate since the devastating Maui wildfires in August 2023 interrupted tourism’s recovery. Read more
Fatal Lahaina fire was not a crime, state AG says
No criminal charges will result from the state investigation into the wildfires that leveled Lahaina, killed 102 people and destroyed Maui’s visitor industry, according to state Attorney General Anne E. Lopez. Read more
Maui Strong Fund awards $13M to nonprofits for fire survivors
The award is part of a four-phased approach to disaster response addressing both immediate and long-term recovery needs, the HCF said. Read more
Maui unemployment modest a year after disaster
Maui’s unemployment rate a year after the wildfire that destroyed Lahaina doesn’t look bad on paper, but the island is still suffering pretty severely with employment. Read more
Evacuation notice lifted for residents on Piihana Road in Wailuku
The evacuation notice for residents on Piihana Road in Wailuku has been been lifted as of 5 p.m. today. Read more
Feedback conflicting on how to rebuild Lahaina
Much of the input focused on the need to increase affordable housing on an island that already needed more housing long before the fires destroyed nearly 3,000 structures. Read more
Former Civil Defense chief reflects on lessons learned from Maui wildfires
The 63-year-old retired Hawaii Fire Department chief and Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator was uniquely qualified to help the Valley Isle deal with the aftermath of the deadly wildfires. Read more
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