Latest Fire Recovery News

Tomodachi Kibou for Maui, a new Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi program is preparing to depart for Higashimatsushima, Miyagi, Japan with 11 students who were impacted by the Lahaina wildfires on Maui in August 2023.

EPA evaluated all 97,749 linear feet of lateral sanitary sewer lines in approximately one month. Sewer segments that were inaccessible, damaged, or obstructed were flagged for the county for additional assessment and work. 

Maui attorney, Jan K. Apo, who is representing hundreds of families impacted by the August 2023 Maui wildfires, lauded Monday’s federal court decision to remand some 90 Lahaina fire cases back to the state court on Maui. 

Maui County Council members were sharply divided Friday over a proposal to use Maui County’s condemnation power of eminent domain to obtain a nearly 20-acre former quarry next to the Central Maui Landfill for the final disposal of toxic Lahaina fire ash and debris.

The second of two Lahaina Gateway signs that were stolen shortly after the August wildfires, was returned to the Lahaina Restoration Foundation on Friday. It was found cut into three pieces, but executives say they are able to piece the sign together and will reinstall it in West Maui.

Early wildfire detection and wind sensors are on their way to Kīhei and Lahaina, public officials announced at a press conference in South Maui today.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Kāʻanapali for a secondary temporary school site for Sacred Hearts. Students have been attending classes at the Sacred Hearts Mission Church in Kapalua since their Lahaina campus next to Maria Lanakila Church was destroyed in the Aug. 8 wildfires.

The bill would direct key federal agencies to use AI tools to improve weather forecasting, crack down on illegal deforestation and optimize electrical grids.

Mayor Richard Bissen and officials from the County’s Office of Recovery announced temporary modular home group housing projects being planned in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State of Hawaiʻi and private developers to provide an estimated 4,000 interim housing units for wildfire survivors. The information was shared at the Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting held at the Lahaina Civic Center on Wednesday night.

Preliminary data on coastal water quality monitoring in West Maui was presented Wednesday at a public speaker series featuring Andrea Kealoha, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Oceanography at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

While thousands of wildfire survivors remain displaced, Maui County Council members heard Tuesday a proposal for the state to purchase the former 216-room Maui Sun Hotel property in central Kīhei and convert it into long-term affordable workforce housing and a public prekindergarten facility.

Individuals and households impacted by the Maui wildfires—including those without dependent children—may be eligible for Maui Relief TANF Program assistance with housing, car, utility, clothing and school supply payments in a major expansion of the program.

The community is encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 at the Lahaina Civic Center to hear about the County’s interim housing plan.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., signed the 10th Emergency Proclamation Relating to Wildfires, which contains amendments from previous versions aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing for Maui residents, especially those displaced due to the deadly wildfires of Aug. 8, 2023.

The County of Maui is seeking the owners of 21 intact vehicles that were removed from the Lahaina wildfire disaster zone for debris cleanup progression. The vehicles were deemed salvageable based on their appearance of little to no visible outer damage to the vehicle, but the County makes no warranty regarding the condition of any of these vehicles.

The Hawaiʻi Workers Center, a grassroots organization focused on the well-being of workers held a press conference in Lahaina last week in the hopes of tackling housing issues impacting wildfire survivors.

The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Ways and Means passed out several bills aimed at addressing key priorities for the Senate, including bills to assist in wildfire recovery, agriculture, economic development, homelessness and housing.

“Locally, the Maui wildfires continued to impact visitors to Maui six months after the tragedy,” said Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Director James Kunane Tokioka. “Maui’s visitor counts decreased by 23.5% compared to January 2023, although there has been progress from August 2023 when visitor arrivals were down by 57.8%. With the active recovery efforts and campaigns, we hope to see continuous improvements over the upcoming months,” he said.

Today marks the first day that wildfire survivors can apply for the One ‘Ohana Fund. The fund is for survivors who lost loved ones and survivors who suffered severe injuries and were hospitalized as a result of the disaster.

Local residents and organizations are invited to participate in an event at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. This event aims to match individuals in need of temporary or permanent housing with state, federal and local organizations assisting individuals and families in need of housing support.