Wildfires & Recovery

Maui’s eviction moratorium, established to support survivors of the devastating August 8, 2023, fires, is set to expire on February 4, 2025. Landlords and tenants will instead be able to participate in a new, state-funded mediation process by Maui Mediation Services as a first step before pursuing eviction through the courts.

The Maui Calm Project has announced its tentative launch this spring after receiving a $25,000 contribution from the Rotary District 5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund.

Wildfire recovery, the cancellation of the Maui Fair, housing solutions, and election highlights are among the stories that made our list of top features this year. Here’s a recap of some of Maui’s biggest stories in 2024.

The Rotary District 5000 Foundation has contributed $82,000 to support Na Kiaʻi O Maui’s relief efforts following the Maui fires, according to an organization announcement. The funds were used to purchase essential equipment, including a forklift and a heavy-duty truck, to meet the operational needs of the center.

A gifting initiative led by Lahaina teen, Madison “Madi” Goldsmith, and mainland nonprofit, the Lady Savant Foundation is recognizing positivity in the sustained spirit of residents following the 2023 Lahaina wildfires.

The Malama Kula team has been working to help Upcountry residents clean up and recover from the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire that erupted in Pohakuokala Gulch and burned more than 200 acres and destroyed homes, and now it’s receiving $100,000 from Maui Rotarians.

Sacred Hearts temporary school now consists of 13 air-conditioned classrooms housed within existing buildings on the leased property, two portable enrichment classrooms, a school office, mental health counseling rooms and maintenance areas.

Motorists are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are delivered to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Kilohana site in Lahaina. Loads will be transported from Kahului Harbor to a staging area near the Kahului boat ramp, beginning at 7 a.m. and throughout the day, on Sunday, Dec. 29.

President Joe Biden signed US Rep. Jill Tokuda’s (HI-02) Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act into law. Under this law, the National Park Service, in consultation with state and local partners, will study the suitability and feasibility of a National Heritage Area designation for Lahaina.

The County of Maui has released the final Long-Term Recovery Plan for Lahaina, following a monthlong community engagement series on the draft plan that included feedback from hundreds of residents and local stakeholders.

In a pivotal milestone for the recovery and rebuilding of communities devastated by the 2023 Maui wildfires, Mayor Richard Bissen announced that the County of Maui will receive an estimated $1.6 billion in new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding for housing on Maui and an estimated $480 million more for economic development, […]

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that a bipartisan spending deal includes over $12 billion for disaster recovery, with Maui set to receive $1.6 billion for housing and hundreds of millions for economic development, small business loans, and water infrastructure.

The Maui County Council has approved the Bissen administration’s proposed acquisition of 79 acres for a permanent wildfire debris and ash disposal site and Central Maui Landfill expansion.

The County of Maui’s weekly Lahaina Disaster Recovery Community Meetings will be paused during the holidays. The next in-person meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, at Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.

The US Senate has unanimously passed the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act, a bill introduced by US Sen. Mazie Hirono and US Rep. Jill Tokuda.

PBS Frontline’s new documentary, “Maui’s Deadly Firestorm,” a year-long investigation into the devastating August 2023 wildfire that claimed 102 lives and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina in Maui, Hawaiʻi. The film explores the causes of the deadliest American wildfire in a century and the missed warnings that made it so unstoppable.

Maria Lanakila Catholic Church reopened last week in downtown Lahaina, resplendent in white Christmas lights and even capped by a three-quarter moon high over its spire in the West Maui night sky.

US Sens. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Public Archives Resiliency Act, legislation that would authorize grants to promote preservation, climate resilience, adaption, and continuity of vital government records and protect other records of historical or cultural significance.

The focus has now shifted to commercial debris removal. Currently, all but eight commercial properties in Lahaina have been cleared and completed. All commercial properties are projected to be completed by early 2025.  

Motorists on Maui are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului Harbor to FEMA’s Kilohana temporary group housing site in Lahaina over the next two weeks.