In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that impacted Lahaina and surrounding communities, a new initiative is bringing hope and mobility back to survivors.

With the transportation of debris from the Lahaina fire to its permanent site in Central Maui nearing completion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun preparations to restore the land used for the temporary debris location in Olowalu.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery will host an open house on Lahaina town commercial area design plans on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Lahaina Cannery Mall, near the entrance to Longs Drugs.

Information on restoration plans for the Olowalu site used for temporary storage of wildfire debris will be shared at an open house on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Lahaina Resource Center.

Maui Rescue Mission Executive Director Scott Hansen will provide a “Two Year Post-Fire Update” to the Rotary Club of Kīhei-Wailea, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025.

Homeowners in the Wahikuli Houselots Subdivision are encouraged to attend an in-person workshop on the Wahikuli Gravity Sewer Design Project on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lahaina Resource Center at Lahaina Gateway.

Mayor Bissen is traveling to attend next week’s After the Fire USA 2025 Wildfire Leadership Summit in California. Meanwhile, he is monitoring Hurricane Kiko as it moves into the Central Pacific Basin on Friday and will shorten out-of-state travel if weather emergencies are forecast. 

Hoʻokumu Hou’s First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program application period will close Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, the County of Maui Office of Recovery announced at Wednesday night’s Lahaina Community Meeting. However, applications for Hoʻokumu Hou’s Single-Family Homeowner Reconstruction and Single-Family Homeowner Reimbursement programs will remain open.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery is encouraging residents to find official information on Hoʻokumu Hou housing programs directly through the County due to potential fraud by third-party entities.

Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Lahaina Community Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.

Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) received the prestigious Promise of Community Action Award from the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) for the agency’s work in the aftermath and the recovery phases of the devastating and deadly 2023 wildfires.

On Thursday, Aug. 21, the 3D printer was officially delivered to the school. To mark the occasion, Hanvit visited Rivas’ 3rd and 5th grade technology classes, sharing her personal journey into coding and technology with the young students.

The Maui Arts League is offering cash grants to Maui artists and art teachers impacted by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires. Applications are due Sept. 15.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery is encouraging all wildfire survivors to connect with a Disaster Case Manager (DCM), if they have not already done so, to take advantage of critical recovery support and guidance.

A unanimous vote by the Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee to advance an affordable housing project in Kahului drew criticism Wednesday from West Maui Council Member Tamara Paltin. She found it “disgusting” that Maui County and developers found a way – through a water availability exemption – to make water available for […]

Gov. Josh Green, MD, launched a new policy report titled “Results for our People,” which outlines the Green administration’s plans to tackle significant issues facing the state of Hawai‘i. The report builds upon priorities discussed during his 2025 State of the State Address to the Legislature.

Maui Housing Hui, in collaboration with the University at Albany and the University of North Texas, will host a Talk Story event on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, to present new research findings on housing decision-making following the Maui wildfires.

The event will provide an important platform for the Filipino community in Lahaina to voice their concerns, ask questions, and receive updates on wildfire recovery efforts following the devastating Aug. 8, 2023 fires.

The final factor in the traffic equation appears to be the trucks hauling Lahaina wildfire debris from the temporary disposal site in Olowalu to the permanent site at the Central Maui Landfill — up to 50 of them, according to the mauirecovers.org dashboard. The trucks are identified by “Lahaina Wildfire Debris” decals and are “making multiple round trips daily.”

Thanks to the generosity of more than 240,000 donors from 78 countries, the Maui Strong Fund has raised over $209 million (including interest earned).