Hawaii wildfires: What will recovery look like?

Deadly wildfires swept across several islands in Hawaii (Hawaiian: Hawai‘i), bringing widespread devastation, especially in the town of Lahaina on Maui. The fires were fueled by Hurricane Dora, which passed offshore but brought strong winds to Maui and Big Island.

Lahaina was home to 12,000 people and dozens of historic buildings dating back to the 1700s. The town is particularly important for Native Hawaiians as a cultural and political center, and it is also a significant tourist destination, hosting much of the economic engine of western Maui. Lahaina’s historic Front Street, home to bars, stores, restaurants and the largest banyan tree in the U.S., was decimated by fire.

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy hosted a webinar to address the urgent and long-term needs of communities affected by the wildfires. Panelists discussed the unique nature of island recovery, including Hawaii’s ecology; the impact of losing such a critical cultural, political and economic engine; and lessons learned from wildfire recovery in other communities.

Photo: The Hawaii National Guard performs water bucket drops on the Island of Maui to help fight fires there, Aug. 9, 2023. Source: US Army via Twitter