Advocates of the current service say “flaws” in the new contract would diminish the Emergency Medical Services systems, and called the diminished standards “grossly irresponsible,” “negligent” and “profoundly hurtful” in the wake of the worst mass casualty in Hawaiʻi’s modern history.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has completed work on 197 parcels as part of Phase 1, to remove hazardous material, including large pieces of asbestos, from the 5-square-mile burned area from the Lahaina fire.

Restrictions for late-night vehicular access into West Maui via Honoapiʻilani Highway have been lifted. The Maui Police Department will continue to cite and tow vehicles parked at the Lahaina Bypass, where no-parking signs are posted.

The destructive fire in Lahaina that started 27 days ago on Aug. 8, 2023, is now 100% contained according to an update issued by the County of Maui.

As the Maui community discusses what the future of its energy delivery system will look like, overhead poles are being used as an interim solution in order for customers in Lahaina to safely receive electricity.

On Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy toured ravaged Lahaina — a place he has visited several times while on family vacations — and was moved by the “sheer devastation.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency has been working since Aug. 29 to remove hazardous material, including large pieces of asbestos, from the 5-square-mile burned area from the Lahaina fire. Crews are finding a lot of batteries.

Unified Command for the Lahaina fire in West Maui has established a mission to assess, remove and dispose of hazardous materials, oil discharges, marine debris and sunken or displaced vessels from Lahaina Harbor and waterways.

Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, along with House Reps. Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, have called on US Citizenship and Immigration Services to expand efforts in aiding immigrant community members impacted by the Maui wildfires.

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier discussed the department’s response to the devastating wildfire in Lahaina on Aug. 8 that left a burn scar covering 2,170 acres, destroyed more than 2,200 structures in its path, and claimed at least 115 lives.

President Joe Biden sent an updated request to Congress to increase the supplemental Disaster Relief Fund by $4 billion, bringing the new request total to $16 billion. Congress is set to consider the funding request In the coming weeks.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Board of Directors took decisive action at its monthly board meeting Thursday to approve $2.6 million in funding to launch the Maui Marketing Recovery Plan. The plan is centered around a new Mālama Maui campaign and prioritizes rebuilding travel demand from the United States market to Maui in the wake of the devastating Lahaina wildfires.

A Disaster Recovery Center will open Friday, Sept. 1, in Lahaina to help residents who were affected by the wildfires learn about local, state and federal assistance programs.

Hawaiʻi Attorney General Anne E. Lopez has selected UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute to assess the policies and performance of state and county agencies in preparation and response to the deadly and destructive Maui wildfires of Aug. 8, 2023.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen offered a video message on Thursday evening, with remarks related to the Maui wildfire disaster. In his address, he provided further insight into the timeline relating to the Aug. 8 wildfire in Lahaina.

Hawaiian Electric has stationed active monitors who are physically surveying electrical infrastructure in more than 30 areas identified as high wildfire risk in Maui County, on Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu to help to ensure safe and reliable service during current Red Flag Warning.

Communities across Hawaiʻi are joining in Kīpuni Aloha no Maui, a daylong vigil on Sept. 1 that centers on emotional and spiritual healing and cleansing for the great loss that so many are suffering on Maui.

The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization issued a new report, “After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.” The report finds that businesses in Lahaina generated more than $70 million per month in revenue and they employed about 8,500 individuals. Roughly 2,000 homes in Lahaina were lost in the fire, representing 3% of Maui’s entire residential housing stock. Residential structures within the burned area were valued at $550 million.

In response to the devastating wildfires and immediate needs in the community, media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson announced the establishment of “People’s Fund of Maui” to distribute cash directly to those who were displaced and affected by the fire. The fund is launching with an initial $10 million donated by Winfrey and Johnson and a call to action for others to contribute to this meaningful and ongoing relief effort. 

Upcountry wildfire survivors discussed the loss of their homes and the unwavering support of community volunteers who came to their aid in the days following disastrous wildfires on Maui. “It only takes a spark to start a fire. Sometimes you just need that one little spark to get a response going, and the community has been the fuel for that,” said volunteer, Kyle Ellison.