The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has launched an Environmental Monitoring Data Portal to provide a one-stop shop for sharing the results of previous and ongoing environmental monitoring in the areas affected by the August 2023 Lahaina and Kula wildfires.

County of Maui officials provided updated details regarding resident and contractor access in the Lahaina impact zone, previously called the disaster zone. For residents with vehicle passes who have a temporary building permit for a temporary dwelling (such as an ADU, camper, trailer, etc.) and are living onsite while they are rebuilding their permanent home within the impact zone, access is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Lahaina homeowners impacted by the August 2023 wildfire are encouraged to attend the County of Maui Office of Recovery’s second Homeowners Webinar on Thursday, June 27, at 5:30 p.m.

It’s been a rocky road for Puʻuhonua o Nēnē, a temporary homeless shelter near Kahului Airport that has provided emergency tented shelter for 120 to 130 people nightly since opening last fall within weeks of the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire disaster.

A new resource for women who have been affected by the Maui wildfire disaster is coming to Central Maui.

Ed Sniffen, Director of the State Department of Transportation, will provide an update at the meeting. The County Office of Recovery will also provide an update.

Free produce boxes for those impacted by the Aug. 8 wildfires are back thanks to partnerships with Common Ground Collective and Lions Club. Pickup is on Fridays through July 26 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in front of the Pā‘ina Building at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College campus in Kahului. 

Officials shared several important updates for Lahaina residents including: lifting the Unsafe Water Advisory for a portion of Lahaina, amending sewer service status for certain parcels, fully reopening the first disaster zone and assisting with the installation of three mobile outdoor warning sirens.

The Unsafe Water Advisory for Lahaina was amended to remove area L-6B, including properties primarily along Honoapiʻilani Highway and Ainakea Road, from Wahikuli Road to Kaniau Road. Water serving buildings and homes in area L-6B is declared safe for unrestricted use effective June 12, 2024.

The Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program is a partnership between Hawai‘i Community Lending and local banks, dedicated to preventing foreclosure and helping 500 Lahaina homeowners rebuild after the wildfire.

Today is the scheduled end date for the Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) program for Maui wildfire survivors. State officials issued assurances saying all families in the NCS program who are actively participating in their recovery efforts will continue to receive support until their transition from sheltering to an interim housing solution.

The standards for the County of Maui Alternative Debris Removal Program have been approved by the Maui County Council, and applications for the program are currently being accepted. The application deadline is June 15, 2024, to sign up for either the Alternative Debris Removal Program or to obtain an approved Right-of-Entry for the Government-Sponsored Consolidated Debris Removal, per adopted standards.

A Humanitarian Job Fair for Maui Disaster Relief, offered by Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) and Employers Options, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, June 13, at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center.

Hawaiʻi Community Lending (HCL) has announced it will open applications for the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program on July 1, 2024. To secure a space and to be placed on an interest list, complete an interest form online.

The Disaster Recovery Center and Community Resource Center will continue providing help in West Maui to wildfire survivors June 30, according to an announcement.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA Maui) will hold a Homeowners Rebuilding Informational Workshop featuring local building and permitting experts on Tuesday, May 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The first permit for rebuilding a Lahaina residence destroyed in the Aug. 8 wildfire disaster was issued on Wednesday, with another 40 applicants under active review, Department of Public Works Director Jordan Molina told members of the Maui County Council’s Water and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday.

Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) received $475,000, the bulk of the funding, which will be used to supplement the Maui Fires Relief Program, the Maui Relief TANF program and the County of Maui Rental Assistance program.   Ka Hale Pōmaikaʻi on Molokaʻi was also awarded $15,000 for their KHP Housing Kōkua program.  Together, they anticipate helping approximately 50 families totaling well over 100 individuals.  Maui United Way received a 2% commission for helping to manage the process and award the monies. 

Due to unpredictable weather conditions and forecasted adverse weather that may create unsafe road conditions, the Wednesday evening Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting is canceled this week, May 15, 2024. Motorists are advised to exercise caution should hazardous conditions occur.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved the State of Hawaiʻi’s request for a final 30-day extension of the temporary emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) program, which has been in operation for nearly 10 months. The program is now set to end on June 10, 2024.