Wildfires & Recovery

Maui Prep would like to accommodate students who are looking to return to school this year

For residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas, maps of affected areas in Upcountry and in Lahaina were recently released on the county Department of Water Supply website.

Governor Josh Green, M.D., returned from Maui today and issued the fifth Emergency Proclamation (EP) relating to the ongoing devastation created by the wildfires on Maui and in Hawaiʻi Counties.

The extended closure and phased return schedule will help prepare kumu, haumāna and families to transition back to school while still allowing for household and community needs to be addressed during this immediate crisis.

The DOE is reopening most Maui schools this week, welcoming employee teams on Monday and students on Wednesday. King Kekaulike High, Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate and Lahainaluna High remain closed and will reopen when it is safe to return. King Kamehameha III Elementary on Front Street was damaged beyond repair. Students and families who were displaced by the fires and are living outside of Lahaina, they are encouraged to enroll in the neighborhood school where they are staying, even if the housing situation is temporary.

Starting Monday, Aug. 14, Kaiser Permanente will be providing medical services to members and non members at several locations in Lahaina.

Video message from Gov. Josh Green for Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023

Due to the overwhelming demand from non-essential individuals and non-Maui residents who have flooded the distribution areas Maui police are suspending the placard program until further notice. They will continue with essential workers and West Maui residents as before.

There are several ways for people impacted by the Maui fires to get mental health help, counseling and resilience information.

Hawaiian Electric restoration crews have brought back online more than 60% of customers who have been without electricity since Tuesday. Crews are continuing work to restore approximately 5,000 customers in West Maui and Upcountry. The customer outage count has not been adjusted downward to account for structures that have been damaged or destroyed.

The law firm of Cades Schutte, its attorneys and staff have donated $36,630 to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund and the nonprofit Cades Foundation has approved $25,000 to the Maui Strong Fund and $10,000 to American Red Cross.

Volunteer organizers provide an update on volunteer distribution and supply centers. Residents of West Maui who need supplies are being directed to several different sites.

Hawaiian Telcom continues to coordinate with county, state and federal officials to provide phone and community WiFi services to assist the community on Maui. Phone service is now available at the shelter at the War Memorial Gym and Hawaiian Telcom is working to install 1 gigabit speed fiber internet service via WiFi. Hawaiian Telcom technicians are also working to add phone and WiFi service at the shelter at the Kīhei Gym.

As fire containment efforts continue in Hawaiʻi, FEMA is working with its federal partners to provide immediate relief and lend support to the state-led and locally executed mission on the ground.

Carelon Behavioral Health, a partner with the Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, is offering free counseling services to support anyone affected by the wildfires on Maui.

King’s Cathedral in Kahului has sheltered and provided basic needs for more than 700 people affected by Maui’s wildfires, and will continue to do so.

Maui Gold Pineapple has launched Pineapple Pledge, a relief initiative focused on safety, food and job preservation.

Starting Sunday, Aug. 13, Kaiser Permanente’s Mobile Health Vehicle will provide first aid at the Lahaina Gateway to members and non-members at no cost. The Mobile Health Vehicle will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., no appointment necessary. 

Wildfire response and recovery updates for Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023 are posted here.

The wildfire in West Maui likely started as a grass fire, according to FEMA administrators. Combined with 80 mph winds and a low-fuel, FEMA authorities say the fire was low to the ground, fast moving and outpaced firefighting efforts. This resulted in the loss of at least one fire fighting apparatus vehicle, and severe injuries to a firefighter who was attempting to flee.