Latest Fire Recovery News

Hawai‘i Community Foundation and grassroots organization Tagnawa announced funding support committed to redefining disaster response for Lahaina’s Filipino community affected by the Maui wildfires.

The Kahului Disaster Recovery Center at Maui College is suspending operations Wednesday, Nov. 29, because the forecast shows locally heavy rains, thunderstorms and possible flooding over the next three days. 

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will hold a community meeting to discuss proposed actions for tourism in support of Maui’s recovery. The meeting will be held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Morgado Hall on Monday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Mayor Richard Bissen submitted to the County Council a bill to amend a section of the County Code in an effort to immediately increase the inventory of housing available to survivors of the August wildfires.

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents beginning Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, for Zones 11B, 11D, 11E, 11F and 13D. Those with vehicle passes will be granted access from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.

Families in Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island who were affected by wildfires can access support through the Maui Relief TANF Program.

The weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings for Kula residents at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and for Lahaina residents at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays are canceled this week due to the kona low weather forecast.

Subpoenas have been served upon the Maui Emergency Management Agency, the County of Maui Department of Public Works, and the County of Maui Department of Water Supply. The timeline for the release of the Phase 1 findings is dependent on the Fire Safety Research Institute gaining access to all facts before completing Phase 1.

Sentry Insurance today announced a new $1 million donation to Maui United Way to provide mental health resources to children who have lived through Maui’s wildfires. The donation adds to Sentry’s previous $1 million in contributions to aid wildfire recovery efforts.

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 27-28, in Zones 11C and 12B.

Council member Gabe Johnson expressed his support Wednesday for the Lahaina Strong Hui, which is currently calling for action from State and County administrations to address the urgent sheltering crisis in Lahaina caused by the Aug. 8 wildfires. 

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25, in Zone 6D. This includes portions of Limahana Circle.

As government leaders are tasked with meeting the critical need for housing in the wake of the August wildfires on Maui, one suggestion has drawn particular interest. For Maui resident, Matt Jachowski, there’s only one answer: utilizing short-term rentals and second homes while seeking federal and philanthropic dollars to fill the rent gap.

As Hawaiʻi grapples with a surge in wildfires threatening communities and ecosystems, bipartisan efforts are underway to introduce legislation to tackle prevention and preparedness.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, County of Maui, and the Federal Highway Administration is installing an emergency stormwater capture system in Lahaina to reduce the environmental impact from silt, ash and other disaster debris potentially entering storm drainage systems.

The Department of Water Supply amended the Unsafe Water Advisory for Lahaina to remove areas L-3A and L-3B. Water serving buildings and homes in areas L-3A and L-3B is declared safe for unrestricted use effective Nov. 20, 2023. Community members can search an address using the interactive Water Advisory Map to confirm if their address is outside or within the advisory area. 

Speaker Scott K. Saiki established interim House working groups charged with evaluating specific topics related to the Lahaina wildfire and making recommendations for appropriate legislative action. Todayʻs meeting starts at 2 p.m., and is available via video conference.

This interim DCMP is funded by the American Red Cross for 90 days and will provide 20 dedicated case managers who will be able to help support up to 700 individuals. Once finalized, the FEMA-supported DCMP will expand to provide support to all survivors for up to two years.

County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25, in Zones 5G, 7F and 7G.

The Hoʻūlu Lahaina Unity Gathering aims to bring the community together in a show of support for those affected by the fires. The group is also calling on the waʻa (canoe) community across Hawaiʻi to join this effort.