Latest Fire Recovery News

Maui County Council members have referred a bill to the Maui Planning Commission for a conditional change of zoning from residential to public/quasi-public for Grace Baptist Church, which was destroyed Aug. 8 in the Lahaina wildfire.

With more than 3,000 wildfire displaced residents on Maui still living in hotels, Gov. Josh Green says there are enough units available now through rental and direct lease programs that he expects to have the remaining residents transitioned out to longer-term solutions by July 1, 2024.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., will address the state of Hawai‘i to provide the latest information on housing plans for wildfire-displaced Maui residents during a press conference at 12:30 this afternoon at the state Capitol.

The new funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help restore the David Malo Circle and Pi‘ilani Elderly Homes and Community Center facilities to pre-disaster design and function.

A group of students affected by the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire have written and illustrated their own book, which has been published with help from Lahaina Arts Guild.   Honokōwai Learning Hub was formed shortly after the fires. This group was dedicated to supporting keiki and providing a creative outlet for their emotions and a safe, […]

The Maui Mahiʻai Disaster Relief Grant Program offers up to $22,500 in grant funds for 10 small farmers and ranchers on the island of Maui who have been affected by August 2023 Maui wildfires. These grants are designed to provide emergency disaster funding and education and may be used to directly increase agricultural resilience against natural disasters and to assist in recovering market losses.

The Lahaina Strong group is planning a rally for dignified housing on Saturday, March 30, at 4 p.m. in Kāʻanapali. The event continues the call for government leaders to use their executive powers now to achieve dignified housing for fire survivors in West Maui.

The dedication and blessing of the temporary campus for Kamehameha III Elementary School, makai of Kapalua Airport, was a milestone for the community of Lahaina on Monday as residents took another step in recovering from the August wildfires.

“This year in response to recovery efforts, and the creation of three new departments and one new division, we’re facing a $429.2 million increase to the FY 2025 budget,” said Mayor Bissen. “This is 33.9% increase from last year’s council approved budget of $1.268 billion. This is due in large part to the new revenue streams addressing our emergency recovery needs.”

The organization has more than 50 outdoor community fire cats in its care, and is seeking to find new homes for them through the Operation Fire Cat Placement Program.

In response to the devastating Maui wildfires in 2023, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture students are learning to digitally restore individual buildings in Lahaina using cutting-edge technologies such as virtual 3D modeling and artificial intelligence (AI).  Some of the buildings students have been designing in mixed reality include Wo Hing Society Hall, Masters Reading Room, Baldwin House and Old Lahaina Courthouse.

Maui County Council members moved quickly Friday morning to give the first of two approvals for the county to launch eminent domain condemnation proceedings in 2nd Circuit Court. The court action would help the county get legal access to a nearly 20-acre former quarry site for the final disposal of toxic ash and debris from the Lahaina wildfire.

Waihou Spring Forest Reserve and trail will reopen to residents and visitors on April 1, seven months after its emergency closure due to damage caused by the August 2023 wildfires and high winds.

Kaiser Permanente will close its mobile health vehicle site at the Royal Lahaina Resort today, and move all equipment to the new modular Lahaina clinic, which will open its doors to serve Kaiser Permanente members on Thursday, March 28.

Maui County Council members gave final approval Friday morning to an intergovernmental agreement for the state to purchase the 6.2-acre Haggai Institute for affordable long-term rental housing.

Commissioners credited Chief Ventura for successfully managing equipment upgrades, recruitment and retention of employees, oversight of capital improvement projects, spearheading the department’s wellness program, collaborating with nonprofits for enhanced emergency response, and effective problem solving.

A controversial bill to establish a nine-member Lele Community District Board for decision-making in rebuilding Lahaina has passed the state Senate, but it will not advance in the House, according to West Maui Rep. Elle Cochran.

Under Bill 95, which was enacted last year, real property that was completely destroyed, as determined by the Director of Finance, or that is located in a Lahaina red or yellow re-entry zone, is exempt from real property taxes including the minimum tax for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has launched “Mākaukau Maui,” a campaign that aims to revitalize Maui’s economy in the aftermath of last year’s devastating wildfires. Apart from the fire-affected areas of Lahaina Town, the campaign signals that Maui is ready to welcome visitors back to the island.

The Small Business Administration announced it will close its Kahului Disaster Loan Outreach Center located at the Kahului Public Library at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 23.