#wildfire

Staff say the temporary classrooms, which were built in just 95 days in Kapalua, need repairs — especially since they have to last until at least 2029 when King Kamehameha III’s new elementary campus is expected to be completed.

Incumbent Richard Bissen appeared to be in the driver’s seat for reelection after a decisive victory in the primary, but allegations by the police chief that BIssen was the target of two criminal investigations could make the race much tighter against Maui County Council Vice Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura.

The County of Maui is implementing a temporary administrative process for qualifying Special Management Area (SMA) Major Use Permit applications to help facilitate timely wildfire recovery and reconstruction for certain properties makai, or seaward, of Front Street in Lahaina.

As part of its ongoing wildfire safety strategy, Hawaiian Electric will use drones to inspect power lines, poles and other electrical equipment in wildfire risk areas across Maui and Lānaʻi.

More than 3,400 units are up for hotel zoning that would help them avoid the ban. The Maui Planning Commission said no to most, but it is the Maui County Council that has the final say.

Ferry service is a critical option in a county where residents often travel between islands for jobs, doctor’s appointments, shopping and sports.

(Update: 7:15 a.m., Friday, Sept. 18, 2026): The fire that began Thursday afternoon along Kūihelani Highway was 100% contained at 7:30 p.m. last night, after firefighters received assistance from a bulldozer to cut a fire line around the burned area.

Candidates tackled issues facing their districts as they vie for seats on a council whose balance of power could change in this election.

Heavy rainfall has helped decrease fire risk, but first responders are still on alert during high hurricane winds.

The state of Hawaiʻi Department of Education is set to receive $9.3 million in post-disaster funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for permanent repairs to King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Maui.

Maui fire crews responded to a half acre brush fire in the Waikō area of Central Maui, Tuesday night.  The fire was reported at 7:07 p.m., west of the Kuihelani Highway and north of East Waikō Road.

The $3 million Olowalu Fire Station project was fully funded until the Canadian company supplying the modular building for the station was hit with 50% steel tariffs by the U.S. last year.

After outages in recent storms, many frustrated residents are seeking out the satellite-based Starlink or other ways to stay connected in emergencies.

Three years after the devastating wildfires that started on Aug. 8, 2023, the community came together in remembrance, reflection and aloha during Kuhinia Maui held on the grounds of Lahaina United Methodist Church.

As Maui marks the anniversary of the deadly blaze today, residents see hope in the rebuilding but sorrow in the people and things they can never bring back.

Researchers are especially worried about the impact on kids, who are showing early signs of emotional and physical distress in the wake of the fires.

More than 100 people who were displaced by the fire or left Lahaina years ago are reuniting this week for a series of special events that organizers hope will mark a major step in the community’s healing.

Both campaigns are well funded and spending big in the lead-up to the Aug. 8 primary election, although Sugimura has a much bigger war chest left with the general election on Nov. 3.

The state project to build a 4.5-mile northern extension of the bypass had stalled for decades due to a lack of funding, but that changed with Maui County committing $100 million in Lahaina disaster relief funds earlier this year to help build the road that now has a price tag of $220 to $250 million.

The coalition is advocating for a practical, near-term solution: the immediate funding and installation of two 500,000-gallon water tanks integrated directly into the Upper Kula potable water system.