Fire Survivor Resources

Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners will lead a statewide, one-day vigil on Friday, Sept. 1, to aid the emotional and spiritual healing of those on Maui who suffered devastating loss from wildfires that swept through Lahaina and other areas of the island. “There’s an urgent need for prayer, cleansing, and reflection so that together, we can help Maui and Hawai‘i heal,” Holt-Padilla said. “This vigil will help to create a space for grief and healing and the opportunity for Hawai‘i to be united.”

ALTRES Foundation today announced it has launched an online portal for unemployed Maui workers affected by the unprecedented wildfires. The newly launched portal, HireMaui.org, went live on Aug. 28, and offers a way for displaced Maui workers to connect with job vacancies offered by businesses statewide.

The Disaster Legal Hotline is a FREE legal hotline to provide legal assistance to the residents of Maui and the Big Island and any others adversely affected by the wildfires. People can call toll free 888-533-2773 to speak to a volunteer attorney.

Maui Wildfire Disaster updates for Aug. 29 are posted HERE. An estimated 11,010 FEMA assistance registrations have been received, with some $14.6 million in federal housing and individual assistance provided, according to the County of Maui. According to the governor, there are more than 6,000 people now being temporarily housed in hotels and Airbnb units.

The Consulate of Peru is processing passport and identification replacements for nationals impacted by the wildfires on Aug. 28 and 29 at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku.

AirMedCare Network, a national air ambulance membership network, announced Monday it has implemented a 120-day grace period for active subscribers in Maui whose memberships are expiring within that time frame.

The funds allow the Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to provide people with temporary jobs focused on cleaning up debris and repairing damage caused by the fires, and providing humanitarian assistance to the wildfire survivors.

Central Pacific Bank announced the Lahaina Branch will reopen to serve the West Maui community on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. The branch, which has been closed since Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, will provide a full range of business and personal banking services when it reopens on Monday.

The Federal Communications Commission has temporarily waived certain eligibility rules to ensure that people receiving federal disaster assistance due to the Maui fires can easily apply for and enroll in Lifeline, a federal program that helps lower the cost of phone and internet service for those in need.

Maui Wildfire Disaster updates for Aug. 27 are posted HERE. To date, 11,010 FEMA assistance registrations have been received, with some $14.6 million in federal housing and individual assistance provided.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations today announced a partnership with the US Department of Labor and the US Postal Service to offer unemployment insurance claimants the ability to provide the identity proofing required to continue or initiate a claim for unemployment insurance benefits through two new sources – Login.gov and USPS in person proofing.

FEMA Individual Assistance is available to renters, including students, as well as homeowners. Federal grants can help pay for temporary housing. The initial rental grant is for a one-month or two-month period and can be reviewed for additional assistance. 

Maui families and community members are invited to meet with principals of Lahaina public schools and Hawaiʻi Department of Education leaders to share input and discuss the latest updates for reopening schools and providing educational opportunities in West Maui. Both meetings will be open to the public.

Families who currently have a federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher with the County of Maui and who have been displaced by the Lahaina and Kula fires will not lose their housing assistance.

Representative Jill Tokuda and Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that their offices are holding a federal resource fair for constituents on Maui impacted by the devastating fires. The resource fair is happening this Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, in Lahaina from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.   

FEMA will conduct eligibility reviews by mid-September, after which survivors who have registered for FEMA assistance and whose homes are deemed uninhabitable, may remain in a hotel until they find their own housing solution or do so with the help of a dedicated caseworker.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations today announced the availability of a disaster recovery jobs portal for Maui to help workers and businesses impacted by the wildfires. The portal provides access to all currently available jobs on Maui as maintained by the DLIR. 

Kaiser Permanente is moving its mobile health vehicle from its current location at Lahaina Gateway Center to Nāpili Park beginning Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. The decision to move the mobile health vehicle was driven by a higher demand from the community for medical services in the Nāpili area. 

Maui Health’s Community Response Team continues to provide first aid, health and wellness checks, and pharmacy services for community members on the west side at its outreach clinic located at the Hyatt Maui. Care is provided free of charge to all community members in need, regardless of health insurance.

A Disaster Recovery Center will open Friday, Aug. 25, in Upcountry Maui to accommodate residents affected by the wildfires learn about local, state and federal assistance programs.