Maui Wildfire Update – Sept. 20 as of 2 p.m.
Aloha,
Here are the latest Maui wildfire news, updates, and resources you need to know.
Governor Green plans to share Maui recovery updates in a press conference tomorrow.
- The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Department of Human Services, American Red Cross and Hawai‘i Community Foundation will join the news conference at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21.
- As of 2 p.m. today, officials have yet to announce the first zones that residents will be allowed to reenter after the Environmental Protection Agency clears properties of hazardous materials.
Mayor Bissen has formed a Lahaina Advisory Team.
- The team includes five Lahaina residents who will meet with the mayor weekly to ensure the County makes decisions based on the needs and desires of the community.
- Kim Ball, Kaliko Storer, Laurie DeGama, Rick Nava and Archie Kalepa have been named to the group.
- The mayor also created the Office of Recovery to “ensure a clear focus on meeting the needs of the community and strong coordination.” Josiah Nishita, who has been in County leadership positions for 11 years, will lead the new department.
Some Maui locals worry reopening on October 8 is too soon.
- Some residents have expressed frustration about visitors acting insensitively and ask travelers to come with compassion and empathy.
- Without the slated reopening, 3,000 hotel workers would be laid off, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
- The governor’s office reiterated the decision to reopen West Maui on October 8 was informed by “meetings and conversations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the Lahaina community that included hundreds of working-class families and small businesses devastated by the wildfire.”
- Occupancy at Maui County hotels dropped to 52.2% in August, according to the Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report published Tuesday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Hawai‘i courts still need to determine how to manage the mounting wildfire lawsuits.
- A potential problem with treating the Lahaina fire lawsuits as a class action involves damages that, if awarded, would vary among parties. Shareholder lawsuits have also been filed.
- Honolulu trial lawyer Mark Davis says a better way would be to treat the Lahaina cases as a mass tort to allow discovery to be consolidated and avoid the formality of a class action lawsuit.
- Two more Maui fire survivors filed lawsuits against HECO.
Here are a couple of ways you can continue to support Maui’s recovery:
- Maui County is encouraging local businesses to register for free a listing on MauiNuiFirst.com. The website highlights ways to support local businesses.
- Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is hosting a new series of “Love for Lahaina” culinary pop-up events in October.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team