#Maui wildfires

Several hundred people paddled surfboards and canoes, and hundreds more watched from shore at Hanaka‘ō‘ō Beach Park on Thursday morning in a Lahaina Paddle Out event to commemorate lives lost and changed forever by the Lahaina wildfire disaster a year ago.

Ceremonies and events were hosted Thursday throughout Hawai‘i — including in Hilo — to commemorate the 1-year anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that ravaged parts of Maui, especially the blaze that decimated historic Lahaina.

Within days of the worst natural disaster in state history, University of Hawaiʻi researchers began providing assistance and support on multiple fronts, including providing direct support and assessing the environmental impact and the long-term health outcomes of residents. They have also studied how to improve disaster preparedness and wildfire mitigation efforts and worked to determine the short- and long-term economic impacts.

The fire scorched Front Street, reducing buildings, and vehicles to twisted metal and ash. Over the several days following the disaster.

While progress has been made toward recovery and rebuilding, the process was never going to be quick — or easy. It was always going to be a years-long effort. And while headlines might have moved on, life for survivors has not. They still need help.

The 7 defendants in the case — state of Hawai‘i, Maui County, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, West Maui Land Co., Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum/Charter Communications — agreed to pay the more than $4 billion to provide compensation to about 2,200 affected parties seeking compensation arising from the Aug. 8, 2023, windstorms and destructive and deadly blazes.

The controversy and pushback surrounding the proposed Punalu‘u Village project in Ka‘ū have been swift. Intense at times. But it’s just one recent example throughout Hawai‘i of problems and clashes with developers and real estate investors.

UHERO reported high interest rates, high prices and low supply have continued to keep housing extremely unaffordable.

Maui rebuilding and the incremental return of international travelers will support tourism, helping to offset a moderate pullback in the continental U.S. market.

The newly formed committee will tackle climate disasters and provide a roadmap to mitigate the financial impact of climate change.

Sen. Hirono first visited with Lahainaluna students participating in the 61st Annual Merrie Monarch Festival who are being hosted by the YMCA of Hawai‘i Island.

The prequel to the festival’s 3 days of hula competition, which kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday with the individual Miss Aloha Hula contest, also celebrated Native Hawaiian culture by honoring 40 years of efforts by ‘Aha Pūnana Leo to revitalize and normalize ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language). The festival also collected donations to help recovery efforts in Lāhainā, Maui, after a deadly wildfire devastated the community in August 2023.

The panel’s move to sideline Senate Bill 3335, which was advanced by the Hawaiʻi state Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means committees last month, essentially kills the bill this legislative session.

The Phase One report analyzes how the fire incident unfolded, based on science, during the first 24 to 72 hours of the fire and its aftermath, and includes a comprehensive timeline of events.

The report details the Green Administration’s strategies for statewide challenges while describing initiatives to bolster Maui’s long-term recovery and Hawai‘i’s long-term resilience. 

Although the House draft of the state budget focuses heavily on addressing expenses related to the Maui wildfires, House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita has said core services throughout the state must be maintained.

U.S. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led the Hawai‘i Congressional delegation in urging the Internal Revenue Service Commissioner, Danny Werfel, to extend the 2023 federal tax filing and payment deadlines for individuals and businesses impacted by the Maui wildfires.

Sen. Ronald Kouchi or Kaua’i, who has led the chamber since 2015, conveyed a message of interconnectedness and collaboration necessary to tackle the issues facing the state during this session and beyond.

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has primary responsibility for fire pre-suppression and firefighting on the one million acres of state land under its jurisdiction.

The Executive Supplemental Budget request adds $326 million in general funds to the operating budget to continue essential operations and support statewide priorities, and $890 million in general obligation bond funds for capital improvement projects statewide.