Deadly Lahaina fire spread ‘incredibly fast,’ racing mauka to makai within 90 minutes

The fire that destroyed most of Lahaina and killed at least 101 people started at 2:55 p.m. Aug. 8 in the vicinity of Kuʻialua Street and Hoʻokahua Place, mauka of the Lahaina Bypass and Kelawea Mauka Makai Park. Fanned by intense winds churned up by Hurricane Dora to the south, the fire raced to the coastline in 60 to 90 minutes.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to collaborate with Maui County and the State of Hawaiʻi about transitional housing and determining immediate and anticipated needs of families who were displaced by the Aug. 8 wildfires. FEMA encourages families to continue to show regular progress toward their permanent housing plan in order to continue staying in FEMA housing.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Maui Island was 4.9% in March 2024, compared to 5.9% the previous month, and 3.0% at the same time in 2023. The data was included in a new report released today from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. 

Maui Mall Village is pleased to once again host The Art of Trash & Trashion Show, which kicks off on Earth Day, April 22, 2024. Mālama Maui Nui presents the annual programs to promote the vital message of upcycling through the imaginative transformation of trash. Kamaʻāina and visitors can attend the free opening night “trashion” show and visit the gallery conveniently located at Maui Mall Village.

The Department of Water Supply reports a water service outage due to a 12″ mainline repair. The affected area is from the Kahului Airport Fire Station to Mama’s Fish House in Pāʻia and is tentatively scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, April 18, 2024.

Following the impact of the Lahaina wildfires in August 2023, Maui Chocolate Tour will reopen its immersive cacao farm experience this month. Guests can once again enjoy a journey through the Maui Kuʻia Estate cacao farm and the largest chocolate factory in Hawaiʻi where tours are available daily.

A 34-year-old Kīhei woman suffered critical, life-threatening injuries when she was struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run collision on South Kihei Road, Wednesday night.

US Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), member of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security overseeing funding responsibility over Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), called on the agency to broaden transitional housing support for the thousands displaced by the Lahaina wildfires last August.

One of the most successful and adored bands to come out of Hawai‘i, The Green, will perform on Maui this Friday.

Attorney General Anne Lopez filed a civil complaint on behalf of the State of Hawaiʻi, against 25 manufacturers of aqueous firefighting foam (AFFF) products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including 3M Company, DuPonte De Nemours Inc., and Tyco Fire Products LP.

Home Maid Bakery will officially shut down wholesale operations and its Lower Main Street location in Wailuku, effective April 29, the Kozuki family has announced on social media.

The Maui Police Department is warning the public of a recurring scam involving spoofed phone calls targeting members of the community. “We urge you to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect yourself from falling victim to these fraudulent activities,” police said.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Maui Island was 4.9% in March 2024, compared to 5.9% the previous month, and 3.0% at the same time in 2023. The data was included in a new report released today from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. 

Following the impact of the Lahaina wildfires in August 2023, Maui Chocolate Tour will reopen its immersive cacao farm experience this month. Guests can once again enjoy a journey through the Maui Kuʻia Estate cacao farm and the largest chocolate factory in Hawaiʻi where tours are available daily.

Home Maid Bakery will officially shut down wholesale operations and its Lower Main Street location in Wailuku, effective April 29, the Kozuki family has announced on social media.

The president of solar energy company Independent Energy, Desta Rudolph, has donated $50,000 to Project Empower, a nonprofit that has focused on helping Maui recover from deadly wildfires that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, displacing thousands of residents. The donation will bolster the collective efforts of a number of organizations to build 88 units of emergency housing at the 10-acre ʻOhana Hope Village.

One 90-minute forum will be conducted on Kauaʻi. People can attend in person and via Zoom. A total of six county forums are slated during the week of April 30 through May 7.

“If itʻs your home, that's all that matters to you is that your home is lost,” said Padraic Gallagher, the director of disaster services for American Red Cross Kauai, in an interview on Wednesday afternoon.

The Indigenous aquaculture systems found in Hawaiʻi boast a design found nowhere else in the world.

The callers claimed they were with the Hawaiʻi Medical Board, stating the Regulated Industries Complaints Office had filed a complaint against the licensees.

Earlier this month, Kaua‘i Habitat closed on six CPR land units on the North Shore of the Garden Isle.

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has scheduled this maintenance work at night.

The state is concerned that the scam calls could be aimed at medical professionals such as nurses, pharmacists and others.

Mostly dry and pleasant trade wind conditions will prevail through next week. Breezy northeast trade winds will briefly weaken over the weekend, then shift...

Small surf along south facing shores will hold as overlapping south swells maintain elevated surf through the end of the week. The current northwest swell will...

Currently CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Thompson passes down knowledge to future generations, emphasizing the importance of navigation and voyaging.