#UHERO Maui wildfires
‘Some things you just live with’: One year after Lahaina fire, community grapples with loss, uncertainty
“It’s going to be a long process,” said Kā‘eo Blas, reflecting on one year since a fire burned down his home and much of Lahaina town. “Sometimes you think it gets better but it’s always there. It’s like losing somebody you love. You still get the memories, they’re still in your heart, but they’re not there. It’s not the same.”
Maui wildfire impacts and recovery challenges explored in latest UHERO report
The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization issued a new report, “After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.” The report finds that businesses in Lahaina generated more than $70 million per month in revenue and they employed about 8,500 individuals. Roughly 2,000 homes in Lahaina were lost in the fire, representing 3% of Maui’s entire residential housing stock. Residential structures within the burned area were valued at $550 million.