Proposal Urges Hawaii to Formalize Volunteer Boat Network for Disaster Relief
A Civil Beat opinion piece calls on Hawaii to create an organized volunteer small-boat program to support disaster relief efforts, citing the 2023 Lahaina fire and recent hurricane activity as evidence of the need. The author argues that informal boat-owner responses have already proven effective but lack coordination and a formal plan. During the 2023 […]
Maui Trains Firefighters and Volunteers to Assess Home Wildfire Risk
The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization and Maui County completed a four-day training program for firefighters and community volunteers to conduct wildfire risk assessments on residential properties. A broader home assessment program for Maui County homeowners is expected to launch later this year. Maui firefighters and community volunteers completed four days of hands-on training in wildfire […]
Category 4 Hurricane Lowell Threatening Hawaii Early Next Week
Hurricane Lowell, currently a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, is tracking toward Hawaii and could bring dangerous winds, heavy rain, storm surge, and surf to the western islands by Monday night. Kauai County faces the most direct risk, with hurricane watches expected to be issued as early as Saturday. Lowell is approximately 610–625 […]
Maui Council Committee Backs New Wells for Native Hawaiian Homesteads
A Maui County Council committee unanimously advanced Bill 97 (2026), which would allow the state to drill three new groundwater wells in Waiʻōhuli dedicated entirely to Native Hawaiian homestead lots. The bill moves to the full Council for a first reading. The three proposed wells would have a combined capacity of 1.73 million gallons per […]
Lahaina Fire Survivors Hit New Snag: USPS Treating Rebuilt Homes as New Developments
Multiple reports from Hawaii Public Radio highlight a new obstacle facing Lahaina wildfire survivors who have rebuilt their homes: the U.S. Postal Service is classifying rebuilt properties as new developments, requiring cluster mailboxes instead of restoring individual home mail delivery. Maui County and federal officials are pushing back, arguing the policy is both impractical and […]
Kihei Brush Fire Extinguished; Separate Pukalani Structure Fire Also Reported
Maui County’s Emergency Management Agency issued multiple alerts on September 4, 2026 covering two separate fire incidents on Maui. Multiple MEMA alerts documented the Kihei brush fire from initial report through containment, while a separate structure fire was reported in Pukalani the same day. A brush fire broke out at 1:31 PM near Halekuai and […]
Maui County Committee Advances Water Deal to Unlock 1,000+ Native Hawaiian Homestead Lots
A Maui County Council committee unanimously approved a bill authorizing a water infrastructure agreement with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to develop three new groundwater wells in Waiʻōhuli. The project would supply up to 1.7 million gallons per day to support construction of more than 1,000 homestead lots across Central Maui. The Water and […]
West Maui Nonprofit Distributes Free Rain Catchment Kits to 120 Homes
Hua Momona Foundation, funded by the Maui Strong Fund, is providing free rainwater catchment systems to 120 West Maui households as part of a post-fire resilience initiative. The portable, renter-friendly kits include equipment, soil amendments, and hands-on installation training. The Rain to Resilience program will distribute free rainwater catchment kits — including barrels, irrigation parts, […]
Four Seasons Wailea Opens Hawaiian Royal Heritage Garden for Guests
The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea has unveiled ‘The Queen’s Garden: Uluhaimalama,’ a botanical courtyard honoring Queen Lili’uokalani developed with Hawaiian cultural practitioners. The self-guided experience features six educational stations and plants historically connected to the monarch. The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea has opened a new permanent cultural attraction in its interior courtyard honoring […]
Maui Council Ties Apartment-to-Hotel Rezoning Eligibility to Sea-Level-Rise Zones
The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee voted 5-4 to use sea-level-rise exposure data as a key factor in deciding which apartment-zoned vacation rental properties qualify for hotel-district rezoning. The committee will reconvene September 9 to continue deliberations. A 5-4 committee vote adopted criteria linking hotel-district rezoning eligibility to how far a property […]