#maui wildfire

To honor Old Lahaina and to help support the revival of arts on the Valley Isle, the Maui Arts League has published “Remembering Lahaina: Places, People & Culture,” a collectible whose proceeds directly benefit those affected by the fires.

Applications are now open for the Keep Lahaina Home Insurance Gap Program, which offers a powerful partnership to ensure Lahaina homeowners can afford to stay and rebuild in the aftermath of the 2023 fires.

The Rotary D5000 Maui Fires Relief Fund provided Roots Reborn with a $100,000 grant to support its Community Care Navigator Program serving migrant and immigrant communities affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires. 

All 237 nonhistorical, concrete pilings along Front Street in Lahaina have been removed — totaling approximately 500 tons of material. A press release announcement from the County of Maui described the achievement as “a significant step forward in Maui wildfire recovery efforts.”

The proposed project seeks to upgrade these properties to a gravity sewer system, eliminating environmental impacts from cesspools and leaking septic systems while providing a wastewater management system more resilient to disaster hazards from wildfires, flooding, and tsunami.

Calling it a “significant milestone,” the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management Wastewater Reclamation Division announced that Lahaina’s County sewer system is now 100% active. The progress comes as homes and businesses look to rebuild after the August 2023 wildfire.

As part of its commitment to the revitalization of Lahaina following the August 2023 wildfires, the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will once again provide tuition support for eligible graduates entering college this coming Fall 2025 Semester.

In Hawaii, Matson continued its annual support for public schools statewide as the sole corporate sponsor of the State Department of Education’s Beginning Teacher Summer Academies with a contribution of $50,000 for two years. Larger contributions of primarily in-kind services in Hawaii include: Hawaii Foodbank – $1,254,000; Maui Wildfire Recovery – $ 648,000; Maui Foodbank – $ 613,000; and American Heart Association – $77,500.

The County of Maui Department of Planning is encouraging property owners whose legally nonconforming structures were destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires to apply for building permits and begin the process of rebuilding.

Hauling will take place nightly at 9 p.m., from Wednesday, April 9 through Friday, April 11. The transport will involve trucks in a caravan that will move the homes from the staging area near the Kahului small boat ramp, along Kahului Beach Road (Route 3400), to Lahaina.

The Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization has been recognized by the National Association of State Foresters as a leader in wildfire mitigation.

A $250,000 check was presented to the West Maui YMCA for its Community Center Partnership Park. The check, from Rotary D5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund, will support the construction of a Dual Modular unit that will serve as both a youth space, office space, flexible program space and an additional covered area for the community.

Scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi have developed new wildfire risk maps to better predict fire danger across the state. Unlike the current Red Flag Warning system, which relies on weather from a limited number of stations, these maps provide a daily, high-resolution look at the most current fire ignition risks statewide.

The community is invited to comment on eight homeowner recommendations developed by Hawaiʻi Community Lending and Ho‘ōla iā Mauiakama Long Term Recovery Group. The recommendations aim to specifically benefit Lahaina homeowners with the goal of preventing the displacement of residents and supporting individuals and families who lack resources to rebuild. 

Pilings are concrete support columns for structures built over the water, and their removal is a crucial step in the ongoing recovery from the 2023 Maui wildfires. The structures they once supported were severely damaged or destroyed, and the removal of approximately 232 pilings, along with other hazardous debris such as metal beams and bolts, will help eliminate safety risks in the area.

The Credit Unions of Maui have donated $10,000 to Nā Hale Kūpuna project, an initiative by the J. Walter Cameron Center aimed at providing affordable housing for seniors affected by the August 2023 wildfires. This contribution will be allocated towards the purchase of new appliances for the housing units, enhancing the living conditions of the residents.

Kaiser Permanente recently honored its Lahaina Clinic staff members with the 2024 David Lawrence Community Service Award, recognizing their dedication and service in the aftermath of the August 2023 Maui wildfires.

Maui United Way announced the successful launch of its initiative to support wildfire survivors facing ongoing transportation challenges. Recognizing this critical community need, and with support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Maui United Way has funded the distribution of $240,000 in gas cards to wildfire displaced families. These monthly $100 gas cards were provided […]

Motorists are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului to the state’s Ka Laʻi Ola housing site in Lahaina. Hauling will take place nightly at 9 p.m., from Wednesday, March 19 through Friday, March 21. The transport will involve trucks in a caravan that will move the […]

Sewer service is now active for 153 properties from Kenui Street to Dickenson Street, makai of Honoapiʻilani Highway. With this latest update, approximately 90% of Lahaina’s County sewer system is now active.