FEMA providing $7.3 million grant to reimburse state, county for Maui fires recovery efforts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing a new $7.3 million grant to aid with the ongoing recovery effort from the Maui fires.

The funding will help cover 100% of the management costs spent by the state and county governments associated with disaster recovery, including preliminary damage assessments, site inspections, travel expenses and personnel training.

“More funding will be required, and we’re continuing to work to bring Maui everything it needs,” said US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) in a news release.

To date, Hawai‘i has received more than $200 million in federal funding for the response to the fires, including more than $100 million in direct assistance to survivors from FEMA and the Small Business Administration.

More than 1,000 FEMA personnel have been on the ground since the fires to conduct search and recovery operations and help people access federal assistance. Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency personnel are currently undertaking the process of removing toxic waste and debris.