#Amos Lonokailua-Hewett

Forecasters are predicting an above-normal hurricane season for the central Pacific basin this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 hurricane season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30, predicts a 70% chance of an above-normal season, with at total of 5-13 tropical cyclones across the central Pacific in the forecast.

The County’s Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) encourages community members to attend the annual Emergency Preparedness Expo on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center, 275 W. Kaʻahumanu Ave., Kahului.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency is seeking more robust resources to address a climate-change-fueled surge in emergency activations caused by frequent wildfires and severe kona low storms.

The County’s Emergency Management Agency is reminding the community that April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaiʻi, an opportunity for people to prepare, protect their property and safeguard loved ones by understanding tsunami risks and taking practical preparedness steps.

Maui Emergency Management Agency is urging residents and businesses (including commercial properties) damaged by the recent kona storm to submit damage reports to the emergency management agency.

A new protocol for disposing of damaged lithium-ion batteries, developed by Maui County officials in the wake of the 2023 wildfires, is now being recommended by federal regulators as a preferred standard for handling such hazardous waste. Known as the “Maui Method,” the process involves submerging damaged batteries — specifically those from electric and hybrid […]

Maui United Way organized efforts this past Saturday to protect one Lahainaluna High School and the surrounding community. Sitting upwind of Lahaina town, the campus needed a critical buffer against future wildfires, especially during a season of severe drought.

The County of Maui’s wildfire risk reduction work continues at Mile Marker 13.5 in Ukumehame, a public safety initiative led by the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to protect lives, property, and the only highway connecting Central and West Maui.

“The public information, or lack thereof, causes tremendous angst and panic, and we wanted to ensure that we improve in that area,” MEMA Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett said.

Almost two years after the disastrous August 2023 wildfires brought to light shortcomings in Maui County’s emergency response, the Maui Emergency Management Agency has completed a comprehensive Strategic Plan and an Integrated Preparedness Plan aimed at reshaping the county’s approach to disasters. While the plans presented by agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett were met Wednesday with […]

Maui County Council members heard about progress and plans for future needs Tuesday from the Maui Emergency Management Agency, now less than two years after the August 2023 wildfires disaster.

The platform — Genasys Protect — will allow Maui County users to view predetermined evacuation zones, track live statuses and receive real-time notifications through a mobile app. It is set to go live for public use on May 1, 2025.

A newly constructed hālau waʻa, a traditional Hawaiian canoe house and learning space, was blessed on March 21 in Mākena.

Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is coordinating with other County of Maui departments, as well as state and non-governmental partners, to prepare for a strong winter storm that is approaching the state.

Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett has released the agency’s After-Action Report on the 2023 Maui wildfires.

The County’s Maui Emergency Management Agency is urging Lahaina residents and visitors to respect safety measures by avoiding restricted areas in Lahaina town.

Wildfire recovery, the cancellation of the Maui Fair, housing solutions, and election highlights are among the stories that made our list of top features this year. Here’s a recap of some of Maui’s biggest stories in 2024.

The technology will be deployed across all islands in Maui County and will provide flexible evacuation zone planning, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered traffic modeling, multi-threat planning and modeling and an emergency alert mobile app.

Projects would boost on-call staffing and technology used by the county’s emergency management agency, as well as improve evacuation access.

The long-awaited draft plan, released last week, also calls for improving communication networks, expanding evacuation routes and boosting emergency response technology and staffing.