Maui emergency chief quits, Justice Department investigates Lahaina fire; cell service, 911, sirens, electric and water failures illustrate lack of preparedness, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Maui Emergency Chief Quits Amid Scrutiny Of Lahaina Fire Response. Herman Andaya faced a mountain of criticism for his agency's decision not to activate sirens that could have saved lives. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Associated Press. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Department of Justice probes cause of Lahaina fire.  A U.S. Department of Justice fire investigation team is in Hawaii to determine the origin and cause of the Lahaina wildfire that killed more than 110 people and destroyed the 5-square-mile heart of town. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Judge pursuing legal action against Hawaii power companies after his house burns down. Retired Maui Chief Circuit Court Judge Shackley Raffetto is suing Maui Electric Co., Hawaiian Electric Co. and Hawaiian Electric Industries over the fire that reduced his house in Kula to ashes. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Fragile Fiber Lines In Lahaina Were Burned And Battered, Taking Out 911 And Cell Service. The utter collapse in communications during the deadly wildfire in Lahaina points to an urgent need to protect miles-long runs of above-ground fiber optic lines that form the backbone of Hawaii’s cellular phone and broadband networks.  Civil Beat.

New data reveals dozens of power grid malfunctions as Maui wildfires began. While the official cause of the Lahaina fire has not yet been determined, the focus appears to be centering around Hawaii’s largest power utility. Hawaii News Now.

Maui water pumps can work without HECO power.  Hawaiian Electric Co. executives, under widespread criticism and facing an onslaught of lawsuits, have maintained a key reason for not shutting off power early on Aug. 8 as wildfires began spreading on Maui was that electricity was needed to keep water pumps working for the firefighters battling the blazes. Star-Advertiser.

Arrivals to Maui down 80% as tourists cancel, change plans amid wildfire disaster. Government and tourism officials have repeatedly asked visitors not to travel to West Maui for the foreseeable future as the recovery work continues. But they’ve also taken paints to say the rest of Maui remains open. Hawaii News Now.

Concerns over ‘climate gentrification’ rise after devastating Maui fires. With a housing crisis that has priced out many Native Hawaiians as well as families that have been there for decades, concerns are rising that the state could become the latest example of “climate gentrification,” when it becomes harder for local people to afford housing in safer areas after a climate-amped disaster. Associated Press.

Green’s proclamation allows vehicles other than buses to transport students. In response to an ongoing school bus shortage, Gov. Josh Green has issued an emergency proclamation allowing vehicles other than school buses to be used to transport students. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  KHON2.

State Ag Corporation Hires New Leader. The Agribusiness Development Corp.’s board announced on Thursday that Wendy Gady will take on the role of executive director, following a four-month search.  Civil Beat.

Kaiser Permanente, Hawaiʻi Health Systems reach new contract agreement. Kaiser Permanente and Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp., after months of talks, have reached an agreement in a new 4-year contract covering service rates for Kaiser members at all of the health system’s Hawaiʻi facilities. Big Island Now.

Oahu

Red Hill task force trains roving fire watch. Joint Task Force Red Hill, the organization the Pentagon set up to drain the massive fuel tanks at the Navy’s underground Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, announced Thursday that it has completed training for its roving security and fire watch team. Star-Advertiser.

Paddle Out for Lahaina planned at Kūhiō Beach in Waikīkī on Saturday. Duke Kahanamoku Ocean Festival, together with Nā Kama Kai, invites the public to come together on Saturday, Aug. 19, for family and friends affected by the Lahaina fires with a community paddle out to “Queens” surf break in Waikīkī on Oʻahu. Maui Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Design work begins for new Papa‘aloa gym. Hawaii County has hired a design consultant and is working on a contract to begin work on the new Papa‘aloa gym. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Friends, family remember dead as list of Maui fatalities grows. The death toll from the disaster is well beyond 100, with an estimated 1,000 people still unaccounted for. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Lahaina residents pick up supplies, process loss as road access reopens. Kahele Alipio and her family fled her ill-fated Lahaina Surf apartments “to wherever there was blue skies” as the fire approached and the town was choked with dark smoke on the afternoon of Aug. 8. Maui News.

Work underway to move those impacted by Maui wildfires from emergency shelters to hotel rooms. Work is underway to close all the emergency shelters on Maui, with the goal to have anyone affected by the deadly wildfires placed in hotel rooms by next week. Maui Now. Associated Press.

Lahaina Fires Leave Businesses And Livelihoods In Ruins. The Maui tourist hub hosted nearly 1,000 business establishments, most of which were burned to the ground. Civil Beat.

Maui County Waives Property Tax For Buildings Destroyed By Fire. Waivers and refunds apply only to residential buildings damaged by the wildfires. Civil Beat.

DOE works to reopen Maui schools, accommodate affected students. King Kekaulike High School, damaged during last week’s disaster on Maui, will begin a phased reopening next week, the state Department of Education said Thursday night. Star-Advertiser.

Lahaina survivors face contaminated air and water and emotional issues.  The state Health Department continues to warn Lahaina residents that the air they breath could contain toxic substances such as asbestos and arsenic after the fire burned historic wooden homes and structures dating back to the late 1800s. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

New county finance department leaders sworn in. Michelle L. Lizama was announced as the County of Kaua‘i director of finance and Chelsie A. Sakai as the deputy director of finance on Wednesday during a swearing-in ceremony at the Mo‘ikeha Building, Lihu‘e Civic Center. Garden Island.

Maui defends decision not to sound sirens during wildfires, DLNR official who held back water reassigned, COVID deaths highest since January, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Maui emergency chief defends not sounding sirens in Lahaina.  Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya on Wednesday defended the decision not to activate sirens to warn residents about the rapidly moving inferno that overwhelmed Lahaina town. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

State Water Official Who Delayed Water Release Has Been Reassigned. Kaleo Manuel was given another job in DLNR while officials investigate what happened. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it “is re-deploying” the state water resource administrator who was at the center of a delayed decision to divert water from Upcountry Maui land to help firefighters as the Aug. 8 wildfires began to take hold around Lahaina. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

State not pursuing criminal probe of Maui fire. The comprehensive review by the state attorney general of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century is not a formal criminal or civil investigation into the cause and response to the deadly blaze, Gov. Josh Green said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Maui fire timeline and warnings: Forecast through engulfment. A timeline of eyewitness accounts and official alerts show just how chaotic things got on Maui, on what was predicted to be a red flag fire-risk day Tuesday, Aug. 8. KHON2.

Hawaiian Electric Faces Heavy Legal, Financial Pressure After Lahaina Fire. The company faces scrutiny for not shutting down the power prior to the fire. Lawyers have wasted no time filing lawsuits. Civil Beat.

Analysis shows fires, other disasters increasing in Hawaii. Hawaii is increasingly under siege from disasters, and what is escalating most is wildfire, according to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency records. That reality can clash with the vision of Hawaii as paradise. It is, in fact, one of the riskiest states in the country. Associated Press.

COVID deaths climb. The statewide death toll has climbed to 1,931 people since the start of the pandemic, with the DOH reporting 11 deaths over the last week, the most since January.  Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Honolulu District Courthouse to be closed due to structural damage.  The Honolulu District Courthouse will be closed Thursday following “inadvertent structural damage caused by a contractor working in the building,” the state Judiciary said in a news release Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Earthquake Swarm Detected At Kīlauea Summit, Elevated Unrest Continues. Kīlauea volcano is not erupting, but scientists say recent earthquakes indicate movement of magma in the south caldera region. Big Island Video News.

Commission to consider Miloli‘i park improvements. More than $1.7 million in improvements are coming to Miloli‘i Beach Park in Captain Cook. Tribune-Herald.

Free eye clinic in Kona a success. Hundreds of Hawaii Island residents, some traveling from as far away as Hilo and Puna, took advantage of a free eye exam and glasses at the Hawaii Island Community Health Center in Kealakehe thanks to a program within the Department of Defense. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

More Maui fire victims named, officially and by family.  Maui County so far has released the names of five of the 111 officially acknowledged fatalities from last week’s wildfire that laid waste to Lahaina — all of them over the age of 70. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Maui Residents Finally Have Local Access To Federal Relief Programs. SBA loan limits were substantially hiked only a week before the destructive fires. Civil Beat.

Water Contamination Concerns Loom Over Lahaina And Upper Kula. As they await test results, Maui residents in affected areas are told not to drink tap water and to wash their clothes in cold water. Civil Beat.

FEMA official addresses business leaders in Hawaiʻi, urges disaster survivors on Maui to register for federal assistance. To date, FEMA has provided more than $2.3 million in assistance to more than 1,330 households, including more than $800,000 in initial rental assistance. Maui Now.

Installation of dust screens begins around Lahaina Town. Following the opening of the Lahaina Bypass on Aug. 15, 2023, the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation began installing dust screens around Lahaina Town.  Maui Now.

‘There’s still life’: Nationwide effort underway to save Maui’s historic banyan tree.  Arborists from around the country are lending a hand in West Maui to save the historic banyan tree that sits in the heart of Lahaina. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Road closure planned Wednesday on Peleke Street in Līhuʻe for waterline repair. Kauaʻi County Department of Water crews are conducting emergency waterline repairs on Peleke Street in Līhuʻe, which required the roadway to be closed about 4 to 5 hours from Milikeleka Place to Aukele Street. Kauai Now.

Biden to tour Lahaina devastation next week, federal team deployed in recovery efforts, tropical storm threat diminishes, Hawaiian Electric stock takes another hit, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

President Biden, First Lady coming to Maui on Aug. 21 to meet survivors, first responders, officials of deadly wildfires.  On Maui, the Bidens will be welcomed by state and local leaders to see firsthand the impacts of the wildfires and the devastating loss of life and land that has occurred on the island, as well as discuss the next steps in the recovery effort.  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Federal team deployed to Maui to assist with mortuary operations, victim identification. One week after a wall of flames turned Lahaina town to ash, Maui County is faced with a daunting task: Finding and identifying every person who died. Hawaii News Now.

Maui County releases identities of 2 victims; raises death toll to 106. The Lahaina fire initially reported on Aug. 8 is now 85% contained and burned 2,170 acres. Multiple fire crews are assigned to monitor and address any flare ups. There are no active threats at this time. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

No danger anticipated from approaching tropical storms. Just a week after Hurricane Dora contributed to the wildfires that caused death and destruction in West Maui and some property damage in West Hawaii, there are two more tropical cyclones lurking in the Pacific. Tribune-Herald.

HTA to seek tourism emergency declaration. The Hawaii Tourism Authority is requesting that the governor declare a tourism emergency in the wake of devastating wildfires in Maui and Hawaii counties, and if approved it would be the first such declaration and allow the agency to tap into a $5 million special fund. Star-Advertiser.

The Lahaina Fire Could Prompt The State To Change How It Manages Water On Maui. A dispute over whether DLNR balked at releasing water to land owners played out in an exchange of angry letters in the days after the fire. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

FBI warns about recovery, charity wildfire scams in Lahaina. A proliferation of bad actors attempting to take advantage of Maui wildfire victims prompted federal authorities to warn of a surge in fraudulent activities on the island. Garden Island.

Videos call out downed power lines as possible cause of Maui wildfires.  Footage has emerged as key evidence pointing to fallen utility lines as the possible cause. Hawaiian Electric Co. faces criticism for not shutting off the power amid high wind warnings and keeping it on even as dozens of poles began to topple. Associated Press

Hawaiian Electric shares drop another 31% as liability concerns mount. Hawaiian Electric Industries, which supplies roughly 95% of the state’s residents with power, traces its roots back to 1891, just a decade after King Kalakaua met Thomas Edison to see the incandescent light bulb. Now, the utility is facing what’s shaping up to be the biggest-ever test over its future. Bloomberg.

Was Maui’s Emergency Operations Chief In Over His Head? Herman Andaya lacked formal experience in emergency response but beat out 40 other applicants for the job and says he was prepared. Civil Beat.

Health care workers, hospitals mobilize on Maui to help. It’s all hands on deck for Hawaii’s health care workers, who have mobilized in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

Mobile morgue arrives on Maui to assist in identifying victims. As teams of cadaver dogs continue their painstaking search for human remains among the ashes and debris from last week’s Lahaina wildlife, a contingent of federal mortuary experts has been deployed to Maui along with a mobile morgue that arrived Tuesday to assist in the equally meticulous task of processing the dead to identify those who perished. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. launches housing program for wildfire-displaced Maui residents. Thus far, the state has placed 220 families in temporary long-term housing. KHON2.

How to assist victims of Maui’s deadly wildfires. The outpouring of support in the wake of deadly wildfires on Maui has been nearly universal, with many people seeking opportunities to either make donations or volunteer. State and local officials are recommending cash donations to reputable nonprofit organizations active in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

UH’s innovative new dorm nurtures fledgling entrepreneurs.  As the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser on Tuesday was the first news outlet to view the interior and operations of the six-story, $100 million complex at University Avenue and Metcalf Street, RISE was vibrating with activity.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Council asks state to intervene in insurance crisis. County Council members and Puna residents alike are urging action by the state to stave off a burgeoning insurance crisis that threatens to drastically increase policyholders’ premiums. Tribune-Herald.

Councilman postpones measure allowing county to maintain eligible private roads. At a Tuesday meeting of the council’s Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-being, Puna Councilman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder proposed a measure that would allow the county to perform maintenance on certain qualifying “private, nondedicated and nonsurrendered roads” in order to ensure continued access to parts of the island in the event of an emergency. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Gov. Green signs order providing access to Lahaina via Māʻalaea during specific hours. On Wednesday, the road will open to all motorists daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Access from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. will be limited once again to residents, first responders, and employees of West Maui. Maui Now.

UH Maui College to delay fall term due to wildfire disaster. The start of the fall semester at University of Hawaii Maui College will be pushed back a week because of the devastating effects of the West Maui wildfires, officials announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

3 closed Maui schools deemed in ‘good condition,’ await safety testing. Structures at three closed Lahaina-area schools visited today by state officials were found to be in “good condition,” and safety testing of air and water will help determine reopening dates, the state Department of Education has announced. Star-Advertiser.

Search for Lahaina victims ‘a race against time,’ governor says. Seven more victims were discovered a week after wind-whipped, chaotic wildfires wiped out the town of Lahaina — raising the death toll to 106 on Tuesday.  Star-Advertiser.

As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of loss.  For scores of families in Hawaii still hoping to reunite with loved ones, it was not yet time to give up — even as the staggering death toll continued to grow, and even as authorities predicted that more remains would be found within the ashes left behind by a wildfire that gutted the once-bustling town of Lahaina. Associated Press.

Families Of Missing Lahaina Senior Home Residents Face Agonizing Search. Loved ones are frantically looking for residents of Hale Mahaolu Eono who remain unaccounted for. Civil Beat.

Kauai

State levies penalty against ShredCo of Kaua‘i for alleged air permit violations. The violations, which are related to a failure to submit several reports in 2021 and 2022 and pay an annual permit fee of $500 in 2022, were documented and confirmed as a result of record reviews conducted by the Clean Air Branch. Garden Island.