Latest Fire Recovery News
County facilities near stadium to be closed Saturday in preparation for sold out MIL football game
In preparation for a sold-out Maui Interscholastic League football game (Lahainaluna vs. Baldwin) on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, War Memorial Complex facilities and some surrounding areas will be temporarily closed to the public that day.
DLNR: Hope remains for Old Lahaina Courthouse, Baldwin House and Seamen’s Hospital
“I’m really pleased. From the first photographs I saw it looked like everything was gone and that’s not the case. There are important historic buildings here that I think can be repaired,” said State Historic Preservation Division Administrator Dr. Alan Downer.
Schatz: “No One Wins In A Shutdown”
As the deadline to fund the federal government nears, US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) called on colleagues in the US Senate and House of Representatives to pass the Senate’s bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government open and avert a disastrous shutdown.
Rep. Tokuda joins in introducing the Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act
“From Hawaiʻi to Vermont, our nation has been hit hard by natural disasters. For those struggling with substance abuse and mental health problems, these are even darker times. This critical legislation will expand the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program to ensure we can respond quickly when people need us most,” said Rep. Tokuda.
West Maui residents call for evacuation plan before returning to school
“I think that’s a huge consideration that needs to be in place before we open, so everybody knows what to do. I think that’s one of the problems—the one road in and one road out for our schools is systemic in the poor planning decisions which amplified the tragedy of the fires,” said Elizabeth Bowen, a teacher at Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Intermediate School.
New phase of Maui shelter program; 800 households have not yet established full eligibility
As of this week, about 800 households in non-congregate sheltering had not yet established full eligibility. Those households are receiving a letter asking them to contact the Red Cross within 48 hours, by phone or in person at the hotels where they are staying, to provide the missing information.
US House energy subcommittee grills Hawaiian Electric CEO about utility’s role in deadly Lahaina fire
During the first Congressional fact-finding hearing about the deadly Aug. 8 Lahaina fire, members of the US House Energy & Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations grilled Hawaiian Electric President and CEO Shelee Kimura about de-energizing power lines, wildfire mitigation efforts and replacing above ground lines connected to wood poles with buried lines.
Disaster restriction lifted Oct. 2-3 for Zones 2C, 2D, 2E – Kuʻuipo, ʻAʻa and Lokia Streets
County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents with vehicle passes from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, and Tuesday, Oct. 3, in Zones 2C, 2D and 2E, which includes homes on Kuʻuipo Street, ʻAʻa Street and Lokia Street.
Rep. Jill Tokuda urges continued help for Maui fire recovery in testimony before House subcommittee
“Like you and I, our people have questions. We all deserve answers. Right now, the most important question must be, how do we keep the help coming?” – US Rep. Jill Tokuda
Listening session for West Maui boaters and commercial operators, Oct. 3
“We recognize that even before the Lahaina fire there were conflicts between commercial vessel operations, especially at Māla Wharf, and community recreational users. For this reason, we are encouraging fishers, commercial vessel operators, and interested community members to attend this informational meeting so everyone can share and hear respective interests and concerns at the same time before decisions are made,” said Chang.
Maui County Council listens as Lahaina residents emotionally have their say
Nearly 150 people from keiki to kūpuna — many who have lost loved ones, homes and businesses in the Aug. 8 fire — testified before the Maui County Council in Kāʻanapali about the resolution to develop a recovery and resiliency plan in response to the Maui fires.
Disaster area restriction lifted for Zone 5A: Old Lahaina Lūʻau anchored parcel
County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions have been lifted for business in Zone 5A, which is the Old Lahaina Lūʻau anchored parcel along Front Street. Access is via the Lahaina Cannery Mall through the Keawe Street entrance only. All other entrance points are blocked off.
FBI’s ongoing role in the Lahaina wildfire disaster response
When a wildfire devastated the island of Maui on Aug. 8, killing at least 97 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes, the FBI offered assistance to law enforcement partners on Maui. Today that assistance continues as teams work to identify remains and confirm individuals who are unaccounted for.
House Interim Schools Working Group hosts West Maui community meeting, Sept. 28
House Interim Schools Working Group Co-Chairs Justin H. Woodson and Jenna Takenouchi and members of the House Interim Schools Working Group in coordination with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will organize a public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, to discuss the status of education for Maui students impacted by the Lahaina wildfire.
State Senate to hold field briefing in Lahaina on wildfire-related insurance claims, Sept. 28
The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection will hold a field briefing in Lahaina on Thursday, Sept. 28 to address questions and take testimony pertaining to wildfire-related insurance claims.
Mayor Richard Bissen announces a ‘phased approach’ to reopening West Maui to visitors
Mayor Richard Bissen and members of his Lahaina Advisory Team have shaped a phased approach to the reopening of West Maui to visitors following an announcement by Gov. Josh Green that West Maui will reopen on Oct. 8, 2023.
US House subcommittee holding hearing Thursday to investigate electric infrastructure’s role in Lahaina fire
The US House Committee on Energy & Commerce is holding a subcommittee fact-finding hearing on Thursday in Washington, D.C., to investigate the role of electric infrastructure in the “catastrophic Maui fire” in Lahaina on Aug. 8 that killed at least 97 people.
Six more Lahaina fire victims identified by police: death toll is 97, unaccounted for is 22
The Maui Police Department identified six more victims of the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire on Tuesday: Felimon Quijano, 61; Luz Bernabe, 64; Joel Villegas, 55; Adela Villegas, 53; Angelica Baclig, 31; and Junmark Quijano, 30. All are from Lahaina.
US Coast Guard transitions to next phase in Maui wildfire recovery
The Unified Command and the primary contractor, Global Diving & Salvage, have removed, to date, over 2100 gallons of product from vessels in the vicinity of Lahaina Harbor.
Temporary site for Kamehameha III Elementary below Kapalua Airport is projected for completion in 95 days
FEMA will be fronting the initial $5.36 million in funding for a temporary campus on 10.2 acres in Honokōwai below the Kapalua Airport. The build time for the temporary site will be around 95 days.
