In Case You Missed It

Hundreds gathered in waters off of Ukumehame on Friday to reflect and unite during a Paddle Out for Lahaina event, held one month after wildfires swept through Maui.

Governor Josh Green today announced the reopening of West Maui on Oct. 8, as the state tries to balance economic survival, and the need for people to have jobs to help their families as they rebuild and recover.

Hawaiian Electric Company President and CEO Shelee Kimura provided an update on the one month mark since wildfires devastated the Lahaina and Upcountry communities on Maui.

Astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi have unexpectedly discovered an immense bubble of galaxies, named “Hoʻoleilana,” thought to be a fossil-like remnant from the birth of the universe.

Lahainaluna High School will begin a phased start for employees and students next week at its temporary school site at the Kūlanihākoʻi High School campus in Kīhei. Beginning Monday, Sept. 11, Lahainaluna teachers and staff will report to Kūlanihākoʻi High to meet, plan and prepare classrooms for the arrival of students, which is set for Sept. 14.

Oliveira is providing once-a-week updates on re-entry for four consecutive weeks, starting this week.  To date, the EPA had completed the removal of hazardous material at 300 properties in Kula and Lahaina. The official website, www.MauiRecovers.org, launched this evening to provide vital information and assistance, including re-entry data, to those affected by the destructive fires that started Aug. 8 on Maui.

The Maui Humane Society was granted restricted access on Aug. 26, 18 days after the destructive wildfire swept through Lahaina. Maui Humane Society CEO, Lisa Labrecque, DVM, shared the challenges, obstacles, and ongoing efforts to provide help in the wake of Maui’s wildfire disaster. Her open letter to the Maui community is posted here.

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the impact of the deadly fires on Maui last month and underscoring the need for continued federal support in the months ahead.

Advocates of the current service say “flaws” in the new contract would diminish the Emergency Medical Services systems, and called the diminished standards “grossly irresponsible,” “negligent” and “profoundly hurtful” in the wake of the worst mass casualty in Hawaiʻi’s modern history.

“I cried everyday feeling guilty I couldn’t break down the door to save them,” Finn’s owner, Danielle told the Maui Humane Society. Since Maui Humane Society has received access into the burn zone, the organization has brought back more than 90 animals to the shelter and have had more than 20 of those animals reunited with their families.

After some names were removed and others were added, there is little change to the number of unaccounted for individuals following the Lahaina Wildfires Disaster on Aug. 8, 2023. The Maui Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation today released an updated list showing 385 individuals who have been reported unaccounted for.

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier discussed the department’s response to the devastating wildfire in Lahaina on Aug. 8 that left a burn scar covering 2,170 acres, destroyed more than 2,200 structures in its path, and claimed at least 115 lives.

A Disaster Recovery Center will open Friday, Sept. 1, in Lahaina to help residents who were affected by the wildfires learn about local, state and federal assistance programs.

Department officials tell Maui Now that of the more than 1,700 outstanding students, some may have moved out of state, enrolled in private schools, or have taken a pause while they await the reopening of their Lahaina campus.

The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization issued a new report, “After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.” The report finds that businesses in Lahaina generated more than $70 million per month in revenue and they employed about 8,500 individuals. Roughly 2,000 homes in Lahaina were lost in the fire, representing 3% of Maui’s entire residential housing stock. Residential structures within the burned area were valued at $550 million.

In response to the devastating wildfires and immediate needs in the community, media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson announced the establishment of “People’s Fund of Maui” to distribute cash directly to those who were displaced and affected by the fire. The fund is launching with an initial $10 million donated by Winfrey and Johnson and a call to action for others to contribute to this meaningful and ongoing relief effort. 

Upcountry wildfire survivors discussed the loss of their homes and the unwavering support of community volunteers who came to their aid in the days following disastrous wildfires on Maui. “It only takes a spark to start a fire. Sometimes you just need that one little spark to get a response going, and the community has been the fuel for that,” said volunteer, Kyle Ellison.

US Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) announced a shared legislative priority for Congress to approve funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund as Maui continues recovery from the Aug. 8 deadly wildfire in Lahaina.

Senator Gilbert Keith-Agaran (District 5, Wailuku, Kahului, Waiheʻe, Waikapū Mauka, and Waiehu) issued the following statement announcing his retirement from the Hawaiʻi State Senate, effective Oct. 31, 2023.

Congressional leaders are focusing on supplemental appropriations needed to help rebuild Lahaina Town, according to US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi) who is visiting Maui for assessments in the wake of the Aug. 8 wildfire disaster.