Latest Fire Recovery News

The Hawai‘i State Board of Education (Board) today approved the Hawai‘i State Department of Education’s (HIDOE) recommendation to grant a waiver that would allow for the closures of the Lahaina public schools on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Lahaina wildfires. 

The US Environmental Protection Agency recently completed its Drinking Water and Wastewater mission in Lahaina as part of a multi-agency emergency response to the 2023 Maui wildfires. This mission is helping the County of Maui restore drinking water and wastewater services to the community in the wildfire-impacted areas of Lahaina.

Hawaiian Electric recently installed the first camera station in Lahaina and has plans to deploy a total of 78 stations in elevated fire risk areas on the five islands served by the company, with each location having two cameras to provide a full 360-degree view. The camera feeds will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This June, the local Maui and Honolulu chapters of AIA (American Institute of Architects), including AIA Maui President and Principal Architect at Hawaiʻi Off Grid David Sellers, welcomed AIA National President Kimberly Dowdell and AIA National CEO Laksiha Ann Woods to Hawaii. The visit to the AIA Hawaii chapters was its first in over 20 years.

Lahaina wildfire survivors will have an opportunity to participate in a Remembrance Ride to see recovery efforts for their beloved town within weeks of the one-year anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire disaster.

Firefighters battling the Haleakalā Crater Road fire have been challenged by difficult terrain, lava fields on the mauka side of the fire, soft soil when cutting firebreaks, swirling winds and low humidity. Maui fire officials note that while each fire is different, they have identified new technologies and organization that have helped to keep agencies better connected.

The state of Hawaiʻi announced the successful conclusion of its Non-Congregate Sheltering program, which provided critical shelter and assistance to 7,796 individuals and 3,071 households displaced by the Lahaina wildfires. This program was managed by the state and the American Red Cross (ARC) and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“On the brink of our one-year anniversary of our island’s wildfires, I realize as a community we are experiencing many different emotions, and any fire can be a very concerning and distressing situation for many of us,” Mayor Bissen said. “I want to assure you that the County and the State are collectively working together to maximize resources and most importantly, keep our community safe. The safety of our community is of the utmost importance, and I encourage everyone to remain calm and continue to monitor the situation.”

Gov. Josh Green provided an update on the ongoing Maui wildfire recovery as the one year mark nears on Aug. 8, 2023. As of July 5, 2024, the state had cleared all individuals from the non-congregate sheltering (NCS) program at hotels; however, there were still 62 families that were finalizing their arrangements with the federal government to transition into longer-term housing. That’s down from the 3,071 families that were being accommodated in hotels in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Officials with the Maui Fire Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded today to media inquiries about the timeline and process for releasing information on the cause and origin of the Aug. 8, 2023 Lahaina wildfire.

“This budget makes historical investments in affordable housing, health care, climate and education – all of our big priority areas as a state. It will provide over $200 million for Maui’s recovery efforts through the Major Disaster Fund. In addition to what is funded in the budget, we passed historical tax reform this session which will put more money into the pockets of local families to combat inflation,” said Green.

Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, in the Lahaina Civic Center gymnasium.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., issued his final veto decisions today after additional analysis and input from stakeholders. Of the 17 bills on his original Intent to Veto List, Green issued seven vetoes. He signed four bills after issuing line-item reductions, and six bills were signed into law.

The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset successfully secured a $7,200 grant from the Rotary D5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund to provide six months of laundry service for the Puʻuhonua o Nēnē shelter in Central Maui.

Maui nonprofits, Hawaiʻi Community Lending and Lahaina Community Land Trust, joined with the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Division Financial Institutions to announce a partnership to help Lahaina owner-occupant homeowners prevent foreclosure and support rebuilding efforts.

Kupu, Hawaiʻi’s largest youth-focused conservation and sustainability nonprofit, today announced its Maui relief efforts, EŌ Maui (Emergency Outreach), has nearly 40 paid opportunities available through partnerships with Maui-based organizations. The priority deadline is: July 12, 2024.

Hawaiian Electric is gearing up for a transformative decade on Maui, as the utility company plans to retire 88 megawatts (MW) of its fossil fuel firm generators, or roughly 35% of the firm generator capacity on Maui. This major overhaul is driven by state environmental regulations and difficulties in sourcing parts for aging generators, many of which have become obsolete.

A number of special events marking one year after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires will pay tribute to the 102 victims and the two that remain missing. The events are designed to honor the resiliency of a community that has faced crisis and heartbreaking tragedy, and offer residents opportunities to gather in healing and shared support.

The new County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui officially opened Friday with a normal operating schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Lahaina Gateway Unit 102-B, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina, near Ace Hardware. The center will serve as a centralized hub for essential departments and agencies related to recovery.

SB 2085 creates the Office of the State Fire Marshal within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enhance fire safety and prevention across Hawaiʻi. The state fire marshal, appointed for a five-year term, will coordinate statewide fire protection efforts, propose fire code amendments and oversee fire safety training and certification.