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 […]
Lahaina Bypass Northern Extension Moves Into Environmental Review Phase
The Hawaii Department of Transportation has launched 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 expected to begin in mid-to-late 2028 with completion targeted for December 2030. Phase 1C will extend the Lahaina Bypass northward 4.5 miles from […]
UH Lands $2.2M NIH Grant to Study Long-Term Maui Wildfire Health Impacts
University of Hawaiʻi researchers received a $2.2 million NIH grant to continue a multi-year study on the long-term health and well-being effects of the 2023 Maui wildfires. The next phase will survey 1,200 Maui residents, including displaced survivors, to shape future disaster recovery and public policy. The NIH grant funds the next phase of the […]
NIH Awards UH Mānoa $2.2M to Continue Long-Term Maui Wildfire Health Study
Multiple outlets reported that University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers have received a $2.2 million National Institutes of Health grant to fund the next phase of the Maui LOA (Learnings to Overcome Adversities) study, a long-term examination of how the 2023 wildfires have affected residents’ health and well-being. The three-year award will support a survey […]
PUC Seeks Public Input on Utility Wildfire Liability Cap Before June 30 Deadline
Hawaii’s Public Utilities Commission has extended its public comment period to June 30 on a proposed liability cap that would limit how much electric utilities must pay in damages if their equipment causes a future wildfire. The cap would apply to future wildfires only, not the 2023 Lahaina fire. The PUC is developing a liability […]