GMA’s National Spotlight on Lahaina Rebuild and Maui Culture
ABC’s Good Morning America aired live segments from Maui highlighting Lahaina’s rebuilding progress nearly three years after the 2023 wildfires, as part of a yearlong national series covering all 50 states. Coverage featured a fire-survivor family, Hawaiian language education, and Maui cultural performances. GMA’s ’50 States in 50 Weeks’ series brought national television attention to […]
Lahaina Wildfire Documentary to Screen at UN Indigenous Forum in April
The documentary ‘Lāhainā Rising,’ which covers the August 2023 Maui wildfires and their aftermath, will be screened at a United Nations forum on Indigenous issues on April 24, 2026. A Hawaiian community delegation will attend to raise issues including health, water rights, and Indigenous sovereignty. The award-winning film ‘Lāhainā Rising’ will be shown as an […]
First Front Street Storefronts Return to Lahaina via New Interim Marketplace
A nonprofit-led interim marketplace called ʻUlu o Lele will open at the former Outlets of Maui site on Front Street, bringing up to 50 local vendors and an estimated 90 jobs to Lahaina during its ongoing recovery. The 18-to-24-month project is the first to restore commercial storefronts to Front Street since the 2023 wildfire. ʻUlu […]
Maui County Launches First SMA Boundary Review Since 1979
The Maui Planning Commission will hold a public meeting on July 14 to kick off a formal assessment of Maui’s Special Management Area coastal boundary, which hasn’t been updated in over 45 years. The multi-year review could eventually affect development rules for shoreline properties. The County of Maui is assessing whether its SMA boundary — […]
West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply Reopens in Lahaina After 2023 Fire
West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply has returned to Lahaina with a new flagship store at Lahaina Cannery, nearly three years after losing its original location in the August 2023 wildfire. The grand opening drew hundreds of community members and marks another milestone in Lahaina’s ongoing commercial recovery. The business reopened at Lahaina Cannery, 1191 […]
Maui Visitor Spending Up 26% in May, Leading All Hawaiian Islands
Maui recorded $523.2 million in visitor spending in May 2026, a 26.4% jump from a year earlier, with arrivals up 18.4% as the island continues rebounding from the 2023 wildfires. Maui outperformed every other island in the state for both spending and arrival growth. Maui welcomed 231,331 visitors in May, up 18.4% year-over-year, approaching pre-wildfire […]
Lahaina Bypass Extension Moves Forward with $220M+ Price Tag
Hawaii DOT has launched preliminary environmental studies for a 3-mile northward extension of the Lahaina Bypass, aimed at improving evacuation safety and traffic redundancy in West Maui. Construction is estimated to begin by late 2028, funded in part by $100 million in federal wildfire disaster funds. HDOT is studying Phase 1C of the Lahaina Bypass, […]
FEMA Tightens Rent Rules for Lahaina Survivors; July Recovery Events Announced
FEMA is strictly enforcing rent payment requirements for Maui wildfire survivors in temporary housing starting July 1, 2026, warning that unpaid balances become federal debt. Several community recovery milestones and public meetings are scheduled throughout July in Lahaina. FEMA is ending its rent-leniency policy for Direct Housing Assistance recipients as of July 1, 2026, with […]
Lahaina Bypass Extension Study Launches; Construction Eyed for 2028
Hawaii DOT has begun preliminary environmental studies for a 4.5-mile northern extension of the Lahaina Bypass, funded in part by $100 million in federal wildfire disaster funds. Construction is targeted to start in mid-to-late 2028 with completion by December 2030. The proposed Phase 1C will extend the Lahaina Bypass northward from Keawe Street to Puʻukoliʻi […]
Lahaina Recovery Meeting July 1 Covers Buyouts, Rebuilds & Wildfire Prep
The County of Maui holds its monthly Lahaina Community Meeting on July 1, 2026, covering fire recovery updates, school rebuilds, Hawaiian Electric progress, and the voluntary mitigation buyout program. The meeting is open in person and via livestream. The meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m. on July 1 at Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria, and will […]