The ashes of last summer’s devastating fire in Lahaina, which killed 102 people and destroyed the town, were still smoldering when talk turned to how fraught the rebuilding process would be. Read more
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Hawaii’s request to extend Financial Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for an additional year, now through Feb. 10, 2026. Originally, the 18-month assistance period was scheduled to end on Feb. 10, 2025. Read more
HEI’s dividend continues to be suspended, the company said. Read more
Hawaii’s largest electrical utility plans to spend $300 million over the next three years on top of $120 million this year to reduce wildfire risk. Read more
The road officially reopened at 6 a.m. Friday, officials said, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed all debris removal in the area. Read more
Both national and international organizations are recognizing Coast Guard and civilian mariners who responded to the deadly 2023 Lahaina fire for heroism at sea. Read more
The County of Maui Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that it has awarded a four-year contract to Genasys Inc. to provide two advanced public safety and emergency management software platforms. Read more
Visitor arrivals in Septem- ber recovered to 96% of September 2019’s pre-pandemic level — the best recovery rate since the devastating Maui wildfires in August 2023 interrupted tourism’s recovery. Read more
No criminal charges will result from the state investigation into the wildfires that leveled Lahaina, killed 102 people and destroyed Maui’s visitor industry, according to state Attorney General Anne E. Lopez. Read more
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
The award is part of a four-phased approach to disaster response addressing both immediate and long-term recovery needs, the HCF said. Read more
Maui’s unemployment rate a year after the wildfire that destroyed Lahaina doesn’t look bad on paper, but the island is still suffering pretty severely with employment. Read more
The evacuation notice for residents on Piihana Road in Wailuku has been been lifted as of 5 p.m. today. Read more
Much of the input focused on the need to increase affordable housing on an island that already needed more housing long before the fires destroyed nearly 3,000 structures. Read more
The 63-year-old retired Hawaii Fire Department chief and Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator was uniquely qualified to help the Valley Isle deal with the aftermath of the deadly wildfires. Read more
For the first time ever, Hawaiian Electric (HECO) activated its new Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program on Wednesday, and was on the cusp of cutting power preemptively to West Maui communities to reduce their high exposure to wildfire risk. Read more
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday, at the request of the state, approved a one-year extension of the Individuals and Households Program for survivors of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. Read more
A cause and origin report from Maui County and the federal government concluded the Lahaina fire started when downed power lines were reenergized in overgrown vegetation that violated the county fire code. Read more
It’s not so unexpected that survivors of the devastating Lahaina and Kula fires of August 2023 continue to suffer from lost income, joblessness, higher costs of living and housing insecurity more than a year after the disaster. Read more
The state Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools, Gov. Josh Green and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen have begun discussions to explore the possibility of establishing a new permanent home for Kamehameha III Elementary School on Kamehameha Schools’ land in Kuia, Lahaina. Read more
Twice as many households affected by the August 2023 Maui wildfires were living in poverty a year after the disaster, a new survey suggests. Read more
Simply put it was the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Read more
