On this Labor Day holiday, thousands of Maui residents find themselves out of work — suddenly, through no fault of their own — because of the devastating fires that wreaked havoc on Lahaina and other parts of the island.

Helping them regain their livelihoods is one of the great challenges of the recovery. It starts with immediate relief through disaster aid funding. Fully restoring a healthy labor market will take more time. But within the challenge lies hope: The opportunity for Maui residents to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods in their own way, sustaining them through tragedy and loss.

At the moment, though, things look grim.

Some 6,663 initial unemployment claims for Maui were filed from Aug. 9-17, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR). Normally the number is about 120 weekly.

Many of the jobs and businesses destroyed by fire were connected to the tourism industry. But even those unaffected by fire are hurting for lack of business, as the number of tourists visiting Maui has plunged by as much as 80%. It’s getting harder for a large number of Maui residents just to support themselves, much less rebuild their homes and their lives.

“I lost $25,000 to cancellations in the first three days,” said Javier Cantellops, owner of a Kihei dive company who was forced to furlough or lay off 40% of his staff.

At the same time, local and state tax collections are declining, making it more difficult for public funds to pay for relief.

Certainly, tourism, the main economic driver in this state, needs to be welcomed back outside of devastated West Maui, with warmth and sensitivity to those who are suffering — a delicate task. How do you encourage visitors to come to Maui when the news is filled with destruction and loss?

Some good efforts are underway. The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) last week approved $2.6 million on a U..S. Marketing Maui Recovery Plan, to be executed from now through October. It’s a marketing strategy that goes beyond selling fun and sun; it encourages visitors to appreciate the need for respectfulness and their own essential role in contributing to Maui’s recovery.

In its own promotions, the visitor industry should emulate HTA’s approach, while making it easier to come here, through discounts, perks or other incentives.

In the meantime, Maui survivors need help now. Federal disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) is available for those whose employment was impacted by the fires but who don’t otherwise qualify for regular unemployment benefits. Eligible individuals can receive a weekly minimum of $254 to a maximum of $763 from Aug. 13 to Feb. 10, 2024. More information about DUA assistance as well as job opportunities can be found at the DLIR website: labor.hawaii.gov/blog/mauiwildfires/.

Of course, the employment recovery will require more than full hotel rooms and a paycheck. Affected Maui residents need to restore so much more: their homes and everything in them, their sense of well-being in a tragically scarred community, their very future.

The work will begin with cleanup and basic repairs. Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced an initial $10.5 million grant to provide people with temporary jobs “focused on cleaning up debris and repairing damage caused by the fires, and providing humanitarian assistance to the wildfire survivors.” DLIR will administer the grant, and it’s hoped the jobs will pay a living wage.

Looking ahead, it’s encouraging that Gov. Josh Green has vowed that Lahaina will be rebuilt the way local residents want it done. After all, it’s important that the new Lahaina be as beloved as the now-lost one.

To that end, Green’s promise should include a firm commitment to use local workers, those who understand and appreciate the gravity and solemnity of their labor. They will be rebuilding not just structures, but the hopes and dreams of Lahainans, in the true spirit of Labor Day.