No “single factor” led to the devastation caused by the Lahaina fires that killed 102 people, left thousands homeless and decimated the visitor industry, according to the second phase of findings from the state Department of the Attorney General’s investigation of government’s management of the disaster. Read more
The 518-page Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report makes 84 unique findings and 140 recommendations for improving preparation, vegetation management, communications, collaboration between stakeholders. Read more
Most of them were senior citizens but Tokuda — who represents the neighbor islands and rural Oahu — made a point of highlighting the ages of the three youngest victims. Read more
The Lahaina Community Land Trust (LCLT) is just getting started, but its ambitions are bold: to keep longtime residents in the West Maui community where they had a foundation before the disastrous Aug. 8 wildfires. Read more
Federal agencies responding to Maui’s wildfire disaster over the past 13 months received much praise along with several tough questions during a congressional hearing Wednesday in Lahaina. Read more
It’s been 13 months since the Maui wildfires last August. Since then, the Valley Isle has been dealing with a housing crisis exacerbated by the fires, with little affordable housing available to longtime residents. Read more
Gary Grube, owner and CEO of Hua Momona Farms and founder of the Hua Momona Foundation, has been providing Maui residents with food since 2020. Read more
The Lahaina Community Land Trust, which was formed after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire, is taking several approaches to achieving its stated mission of “Keeping Lahaina Lands in Lahaina Hands.” Read more
More than 160 insurance companies have paid out $2.3 billion in the year since the deadly wildfires and expect to pay another $1 billion. B Read more
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Insurance companies with claims against Hawaiian Electric tied to hundreds of Maui wildfire lawsuits largely prevailed Friday in court on an issue that could affect when and how they share damage payments with fire victims. Read more
The proposed $4.037 billion “global settlement” would resolve over 650 claims and lawsuits in the aftermath of the wildfire that killed 102 people and destroyed nearly 4,000 structures, most of them homes. Read more
Attorneys representing Maui wildfire victims want the Hawaii Supreme Court to weigh in on a recent lower state court ruling in an effort to finalize a proposed $4 billion settlement. Read more
Six-year-old twins Luna and Stella Sanchez smile and giggle as they run toward the century-old rubber tree, affectionately known as “The Branches,” that sits in the heart of the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. Read more
While West Oahu is well known as an area prone to wildfires due to its dryness, East Honolulu is also vulnerable in its own ways. Read more
Each county received 20 sensors last month that sample the air and use advanced ground-based technology, including satellite imagery, environmental data and artificial intelligence, to detect fires in their earliest stages. Read more
Some still believe they are not welcome as the government asked tourists to leave in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, and some residents and celebrities fortified that message on social media. Read more
Gov. Josh Green this week announced a new initiative — Lahaina Honoring Employees’ Resilience and Optimism, or HERO, Awards — to recognize state Department of Education employees who have played critical roles in keeping Lahaina schools open following the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. Read more
Edralina Diezon’s journey is emblematic of the toll taken on many survivors trying to navigate services after a climate disaster. Read more
The N5 Shield sensor program, made possible through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and U.S. Fire Administration, samples the air and detects anomalies consistent with fire. Read more
As a single mother raising two teenagers with autism, Ashley Lagazo is still struggling to help her kids cope with the fear and anxiety that plague them, even a year after they drove desperately away from the Lahaina wildfire. Read more
In court documents filed in Honolulu Circuit Court, the insurance company attorneys allege that those responsible for igniting the wildfires are Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools and three telecommunication companies. Read more
