Latest Fire Recovery News

The Downtown Athletic Club of Hawaiʻi announced the donation of surfboards to the 22 Lahainaluna High School and Maui Preparatory Academy surf team members and coaches who lost their homes and belongings in the August fire that destroyed Lahaina Town.

Owners of short-term rental properties are invited to FEMA’s Direct Lease Industry Day on Friday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kāʻanapali in the Honokahua & Honokeana Room. All registration requests must be completed by TODAY Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

Two Maui community emergency hubs that have been supporting the needs of those harmed by the wildfire disaster are now partnering with Kupu: The Kāʻanapali Hub and Nāpili Hub are now able to provide paid positions via Kupu while they continue to meet the urgent needs of their community. As the initial phase of this partnership, Kupu’s EŌ Maui has 15 participants on payroll between the two hubs.  

An estimated 200 affordable rentals are under construction in Lahaina as part of the Kaiāulu o Kūku′ia project, which includes Hawaiʻi’s very first Bezos Academy preschool. 

The temporary campus project is expected to be completed by the end of February, when the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will take over to furnish and install telecommunication equipment.

The Mālama ‘Āina Project’s primary goals are to heal, empower, and inspire the community while restoring proper ecology in the foothills above Lahaina. The project seeks to reduce the likelihood of wildfires and give back to the community.

The Maui County Council on Tuesday passed the first reading of Mayor Richard Bissen’s Bill 131 that provides 100% property tax exemptions to owners of short-term rentals, timeshares and non-owner occupied homes who rent at least one-year to Maui fire survivors.

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, beginning Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8 and 9, in Zones 8A and 8B. 

Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green today delivered an address marking one year in office. In his address, he highlighted issues and efforts to address affordable housing, education, tourism, red hill, gun violence, healthcare and Maui’s recovery following the Aug. 8 wildfires.

Mayor Richard Bissen’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings resume this week at 6 p.m. in Kula on Tuesday (tonight) and at 5:30 p.m. in Lahaina on Wednesday after being canceled last week due to the kona low weather system. 

The Salvation Army is calling for the community’s support as they prepare for a heartwarming event, “Magical Maui Christmas,” set to take place on Dec. 9, 2023, at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center. The event aims to uplift and bring holiday joy to over 2,000 wildfire survivors by providing them with a memorable Christmas experience.

Imua Family Services is planning a new preschool in Wailuku for children displaced by the August wildfires on Maui.

In the aftermath of Maui’s Lahaina wildfire, the University of Hawai‘i will use $519,000 in USDA grants to fund research projects that aim to reinforce Hawai‘i’s agriculture against disasters and address the health risks of toxic chromium.

An outreach event to reach noncitizen families with dependent children, who could be eligible for Maui Relief TANF Program benefits, will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 10, in Lahaina.

The purpose of the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is specifically to help survivors of the Maui wildfires who are not eligible for FEMA assistance. RAP will work to secure housing for up to 12 months for eligible households by connecting them with Airbnb or through the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) Hawai‘i Fire Relief Housing Program.

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, beginning Monday, Dec. 4, and Tuesday, Dec. 5, in Zones 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D. Some residential and commercial properties in these zones have been deferred by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for health and safety reasons.

“We are balancing the need for prompt action with the need to ensure the County of Maui retains a strong financial standing, and we look forward to scrutinizing the mayor’s proposal,” said Council Chair Alice Lee.

Tools used to trap ash and debris and filter out potential contaminants before they entered the storm drain system proved helpful, according to the Department of Public Works.

The lawmakers’ request for would help to alleviate burdens, providing thousands of students across the island with access to healthy, nutritious meals at no cost to their families as they deal with post-wildfire impacts.

The US Environmental Protection Agency today reports it has completed its work under Phase 1 of the federal response to the wildfires in Lahaina and the Upcountry Maui communities.