Maui Wildfire Update – September 25 as of 3 p.m.
Aloha,
Here are the latest Maui wildfire news, updates, and resources you need to know.
Lahaina residents began returning to their properties today.
- Darryl Oliveira, interim administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, said 23 people picked up permits for their parcels, and by mid-day, 25 cars had come through the checkpoint.
- “Respect is the word of the day,” said a Lt. Colonel in the Kentucky National Guard who volunteered to assist Maui in the wake of the wildfires.
- “I want the freedom to just be there and absorb what happened,” Jess Claydon, a Lahaina resident, said. “Whatever I might find, even if it’s just those jars of sea glass, I’m looking forward to taking it. ... It’s a piece of home.”
During a community meeting, Mayor Bissen estimated it would be a year and a half to two years before building can start in the burn zone.
- The EPA said the toxic cleanup portion is about 50% completed. The next phase will be the overall debris cleanup, which the US Army Corps of Engineers are leading.
- Housing is among the top concerns. Roughly 7,600 residents remain temporarily housed in more than 40 hotels, according to Dave Gutierrez, a disaster relief director for the American Red Cross. Residents also fear rebuilding may be cost-prohibitive.
- Geographic location, historic and cultural significance, and the logistics of shipping equipment and hazardous material disposal are a few reasons the cleanup in Lahaina is exceptionally complex.
Hawaiian Electric will respond to the PUC and congressional committee investigating the wildfire.
- The Wall Street Journal published an article about the challenges many utilities face upgrading aging grids and infrastructure, including utility poles.
- In an op-ed, the president of Ulupono Initiative says recent claims that the utility chose renewable energy over resiliency investments demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of how our regulated utility works.
- Hawaiian Electric says it will respond to questions from the Public Utilities Commission by Oct. 2. The company has also said its CEO will testify during Thursday’s congressional committee hearing.
Local media outlets share survivor stories and before-and-after photos from Lahaina.
- More Lahaina fire survivors shared their stories and recalled the split-second decisions that may have saved their lives.
- The Honolulu Star-Advertiser shared heartbreaking before and after photos of landmarks and historic sites lost in the fire.
If you’re looking for ways to help Maui businesses…
- You can donate, buy local or plan a staycation. Hawaii News Now shared a few ways you can help support Maui’s economy.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team