Latest Fire Recovery News

Commercial operators, with permits, will again be able to use Māla Wharf seven days a week beginning Saturday April 13.

Maui United Way announced on Wednesday a new ʻOhana Mental Health Grant opportunity, offering 5 to 10 mental health grants of $50,000 to $100,000 each, for eligible nonprofits. The grants are aimed at supporting local nonprofits working to meet the ongoing mental health needs in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Eight months to the day after a wildfire swept through Lahaina town, Maui County Council members heard the anguish of residents struggling to recover from the disaster that claimed at least 101 lives and leveled their beloved historic town.

“For Lahaina to recover, thousands of homes will need to be rebuilt. Critical infrastructure will need to be restored. Businesses will need to get up and running again. And so Congress needs to step up and help,” said Sen. Schatz.

In a significant boost to aid Lahaina homeowners affected by last year’s wildfires, American Savings Bank (ASB) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) have announced an allocation of $400,000 to Hawaiʻi Community Lending through the FHLB Member Impact Fund.

Today, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) announced the award of $104,491 to three nonprofit partners focused on providing assistance to Maui families with children who have been affected by the Maui fires in August 2023: the Alexander Academy Performing Company, Maui Junior Golf Association, and Unda Kava 808. In total, the Maui Strong Fund has now distributed $2.4 million in grants in the “Children and Family” sector.

Foodland Super Market, Ltd. announced that Foodland Farms Lahaina will reopen at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Located at Lahaina Gateway, Foodland Farms Lahaina has been closed since the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

Komar is offering a quarter of the 20-acre site that was outlined in the eminent domain proposal, saying it will accommodate 100% of the 400,000 cubic yards of debris from Lahaina and Olowalu.  As a condition of the donation, Komar says it wants the donated land to be used exclusively for Lahaina debris; and that the county extend equal rights to the remaining 15 acres for use by Komar.  

The Maui Emergency Management Agency has extended hours for reentry access into the Lahaina Wildfire Disaster zone to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The extension only applies to those entering the zone with a vehicle reentry pass. 

The initial indication is the concerns reported were the result of stagnant water that was not properly cycling through the system due to low usage prior to students returning to the school. While waiting for test results, Pono Aina Management, the contractor who built the school, will provide bottled drinking water to students, faculty and staff.

The County of Maui Office of Economic Development (OED) this week published the findings of its Maui Business Health Check survey. Conducted from January to February 2024, the survey garnered responses from 290 businesses, shedding light on the post-wildfire challenges faced by the Maui business community and offering insights for progress.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement in partnership with Kupu, Hawaiʻi’s largest youth-focused conservation and sustainability nonprofit, is offering workforce opportunities for wildfire-impacted residents on Maui.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery invites residents to participate in an online community survey questionnaire to help shape the creation of the Lahaina Recovery Plan. The survey will be available through May 15, 2024, and can be found on Maui Recovers’ Ola Lahaina page at https://mauirecovers.org/lahaina.

Mayor Richard Bissen’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings resume this week at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at Lahaina Civic Center after pausing for spring break and the holidays.

Organizers say this reclamation of housing inventory would directly address the pressing need for homes and remedy the housing crisis in the community with 3,000 people still living in the hotels. 

Lahaina Strong Fishing for Dignified Housing Hui will hold a rally and march in Kā‘anapali today. Organizers say their primary demand is for the conversion of units on the Minatoya list and the reclamation of housing inventory.

The Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. has closed on the purchase of the former Maui Sun Hotel in Kīhei from Haggai International Institute for Advanced Leadership Training, the state agency announced Thursday.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced the upcoming launch of the OHA Kanaaho Grant, providing critical support to homeowners and renters in the wildfire impact zones of Lahaina and Kula. Under the program, a one-time $9,000 grant can be awarded to eligible homeowners who experienced hardship; and a one-time $4,000 grant can be awarded to eligible renters who experienced hardship.

The Senate Ways and Means committee unanimously approved House Bill 679 Senate Draft 2 and House Bill 2610 Senate Draft 2, to allocate funding to address ongoing and escalating costs to non-congregate sheltering, development of temporary and permanent housing, and other needs.

The Internal Revenue Service further postponed until Aug. 7, 2024, various tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for individuals and businesses affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires in Hawaiʻi. Previously, the deadline was Feb. 15, 2024.