Latest Fire Recovery News

The US Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors are planning to do a test blast this afternoon, May 16, at approximately 1-3 p.m. weather permitting, at the Kilohana temporary housing site for wildfire survivors on Maui. Kilohana is a 34-acre site is located off of a cane haul road near Wahikuli Road in Lahaina. USACE is grading the land, installing utilities and preparing the site for 169 temporary housing units.

The Lahaina Community Land Trust announced the establishment of its new Advisory Board, comprised of members of the Lahaina community who share a commitment to preserving the unique character, culture and livability of Lahaina.

Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) received $475,000, the bulk of the funding, which will be used to supplement the Maui Fires Relief Program, the Maui Relief TANF program and the County of Maui Rental Assistance program.   Ka Hale Pōmaikaʻi on Molokaʻi was also awarded $15,000 for their KHP Housing Kōkua program.  Together, they anticipate helping approximately 50 families totaling well over 100 individuals.  Maui United Way received a 2% commission for helping to manage the process and award the monies. 

“Last October, the Administration requested $23.5 billion for disaster recovery,” the senators wrote. “Since then, the need for recovery resources in our communities have grown and evolved. The nation has also witnessed additional crises, including the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland. This funding is essential for our constituents to move forward in rebuilding their homes, lives, businesses, farms and communities.”

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., proclaimed May as Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Preparedness Month. The proclamation comes nine months after the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfire that destroyed much of historic Lahaina Town and claimed the lives of more than 100 people.

Four students graduating from Kīhei Charter School have taken on different challenges posed by the Maui wildfires and other statewide issued in their Senior Graduation Defense presentations. Seniors—Taylor Guindon, Tara Zamani, Sundi King and Claire Eller—presented respective projects on wildfire prevention policies, microbe research in the fire aftermath, stories of resilience from wildfire survivors, and an ʻŌhiʻa restoration project sparked by a visit to Hawaiʻi Island.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved the State of Hawaiʻi’s request for a final 30-day extension of the temporary emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) program, which has been in operation for nearly 10 months. The program is now set to end on June 10, 2024.

Following Gov. Josh Green’s signing of the 11th emergency proclamation relating to wildfires, signed into law on May 3, 2024, a landlord who wishes to terminate a lease before its effective date can only do so for two reasons, and must submit a signed affidavit to the County of Maui Department of Housing and Human Concerns, Housing Division.

The online community survey launched by County of Maui Office of Recovery to help shape the creation of the Lahaina Recovery Plan is now available in Hawaiian, Ilocano, Spanish, Tagalog and Tongan. The survey will be available until May 19, 2024, and can be found on Maui Recovers’ “Ola Lahaina” page at https://mauirecovers.org/lahaina. Click on the box on the top right to select the preferred language for the survey.

“Maui is set for an extended recovery period this decade, while population slowing will reduce future growth to varying degrees across the counties,” according to the UHERO forecast.

A critical transmission line that serves as a back-up route of power to approximately 11,000 customers in West Maui is now online after Hawaiian Electric rebuilt the line along former routes in the Lahaina area with new steel and wood poles and electrical equipment. 

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health has released findings of lead screening conducted at a series of community events between December 2023 and February 2024, among people impacted by the Maui wildfires. DOH Public Health Nurses and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii (HMHB) collaborated on the project. While wildfire ash contains significant concentrations of lead, the screening results do not indicate evidence of widespread human exposure to toxins in the ash, according to a department news release.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced the County of Maui has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to conduct an After-Action Report assessing the coordination of Maui County Emergency Management Agency’s (MEMA’s) response to the Maui Wildfires that occurred in August 2023.

The meeting will feature an update from County Department of Parks and Recreation Director Pat McCall on the status of the Lahaina Aquatic Center. The US Army Corps of Engineers will provide an update on debris clearing.

Maui County homeowners affected negatively by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive financial assistance for mortgage, other qualified housing expenses and other resources to help them avoid foreclosure under the Maui Homeowner Assistance Fund (MHAF) Program that launches today, Monday, May 6, 2024. Homeowners displaced by the Maui Wildfires also may be eligible for assistance and are encouraged to apply.

The Federal Housing Administration will extend the foreclosure moratorium through Aug. 4, 2024, to help homeowners impacted by 2023 wildfires. FHA is taking this action due to the extent of the devastation from the wildfires, the reduced capacity for borrowers to access needed resources, and the unique challenges associated with the geographic location of Maui.

A total of 50 cats left the Maui Humane Society and the Lānaʻi Cat Sanctuary last week, headed to their new life in California with the Humane Society Silicon Valley. The transport was made in collaboration with Greater Good Charities.

Suspension of service disconnections for all Hawaiian Electric customers on Maui has been extended through at least July 2, 2024, in accordance with the extension of Gov. Josh Green’s emergency proclamation.

The House of Representatives officially adjourned sine die, marking the conclusion of the 32nd Legislature on Friday. House Committee on Finance Chair Kyle T. Yamashita (D-12 Upcountry Maui) said, “We approached the crafting of the state budget with careful consideration, reflecting the House’s dedication to fiscal prudence, accountability, and transparency. As we commenced this legislative session, our immediate […]

Gov. Josh Green followed through on his pledge to sign Senate Bill 2919, clarifying the counties’ authority to regulate short-term rentals. Mayor Richard Bissen has already moved ahead with introducing a bill to phase-out thousands of short-term rentals to open up long-term housing for residents.