Disney has released the first trailer for its live-action remake of “Moana,” starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson. Based on the animated version, the live-action version (also titled “Moana”) was announced in 2023 and is slated for release on July 10, 2026. Disney has now released the first trailer for the remake, which follows the same story as the animation, giving fans a first look at the island and people of Motunui.In April 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced that he would be returning as his character, Maui, from the animated original.“Deeply humbled to announce we’re bringing the beautiful story of MOANA to the live action big screen!” he wrote along with a video of him and his two younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, at the beach in O‘ahu. “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace, mana and warrior strength. I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once in a lifetime opportunity to reunite with MAUI, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. We’re honored to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which at the core is who we are as Polynesian people. Much more to come, but until then What can I saaaaaay except…You’re welcome.”Also featured in the new trailer is Lagaʻaia as Moana, as well as Johnson as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, who can only be seen from behind as he takes on the form of an eagle.Per the trailer, the movie will feature songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original soundtrack, including “I Am Moana”, which Lagaʻaia sings throughout the teaser.Released in 2016, the original Disney Animation Studios film followed the titular character, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho. Moana attempted to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, with the help of demigod Maui.”Moana,” the live-action remake, will release in theaters on July 10, 2026.
Disney has released the first trailer for its live-action remake of “Moana,” starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson.
Based on the animated version, the live-action version (also titled “Moana”) was announced in 2023 and is slated for release on July 10, 2026. Disney has now released the first trailer for the remake, which follows the same story as the animation, giving fans a first look at the island and people of Motunui.
In April 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced that he would be returning as his character, Maui, from the animated original.
“Deeply humbled to announce we’re bringing the beautiful story of MOANA to the live action big screen!” he wrote along with a video of him and his two younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, at the beach in O‘ahu. “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace, mana and warrior strength. I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once in a lifetime opportunity to reunite with MAUI, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. We’re honored to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which at the core is who we are as Polynesian people. Much more to come, but until then What can I saaaaaay except…You’re welcome.”
Also featured in the new trailer is Lagaʻaia as Moana, as well as Johnson as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, who can only be seen from behind as he takes on the form of an eagle.
Per the trailer, the movie will feature songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original soundtrack, including “I Am Moana”, which Lagaʻaia sings throughout the teaser.
Released in 2016, the original Disney Animation Studios film followed the titular character, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho. Moana attempted to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, with the help of demigod Maui.
“Moana,” the live-action remake, will release in theaters on July 10, 2026.
The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
The office of Hawaii Gov. Josh Green confirmed the $4.037 billion settlement, saying in a news release that it was reached after more than four months of mediation. His office said it “resolves approximately 450 lawsuits that were filed by individuals, businesses, and insurance companies in state and federal courts for fires in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui.”
The seven co-defendants involved in the settlement include the state of Hawaii, Maui County, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, West Maui Land Co., Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum/Charter Communications.
Pictures and crosses are displayed at a public hillside memorial to Lahaina wildfire victims on Aug. 1, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Aug. 8 marks the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires which killed 101 people and devastated the historic community of Lahaina in West Maui.
Getty Images
Green said in a statement that the settlement will “help our people heal,” emphasizing that he sought to “expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible.”
The term sheet with details of the settlement was not publicly available, but the liaison attorneys filed a motion Friday saying the global settlement seeks to resolve all Maui fire claims for $4.037 billion.
The motion asks the judge to order that insurers can’t separately go after the defendants to recoup money paid to policyholders.
“We’re under no illusions that this is going to make Maui whole,” said Jake Lowenthal, a Maui attorney selected as one of the liaisons for the coordination of the cases. “We know for a fact that it’s not going to make up for what they lost.”
He noted there were “extenuating circumstances” that made lawyers worry the litigation would drag on for years.
Some lawyers involved have expressed concern about reaching a settlement before possible bankruptcy of Hawaiian Electric Company.
Now that a settlement has been reached, more work needs to be on next steps, like how to divvy up the amount.
“This is the first step to allowing the Maui fire victims to get compensation sooner than later,” Lowenthal said.
The Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire killed 101 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui, one of several which broke out on the island. It burned thousands of homes and displaced 12,000 people.
In the spring, a judge appointed mediators and ordered all parties in the hundreds of lawsuits filed to participate in settlement talks.
In a June survey from the Hawaii State Rural Health Association, 71% of Maui County respondents who were directly impacted by the fires said they have since had to cut back on food and groceries for personal financial reasons. The survey found that most residents of Maui were more worried than hopeful about the future.
Honolulu — Had emergency responders known about widespread cellphone outages during the height of last summer’s deadly Maui wildfires, they would’ve used other methods to warn about the disaster, county officials said in a lawsuit.
Alerts the county sent to cellphones warning people to immediately evacuate were never received, unbeknownst to the county, the lawsuit said.
Maui officials failed to activate sirens that would have warned the entire population of the approaching flames. That has raised questions about whether everything was done to alert the public in a state that possesses an elaborate emergency warning system for a variety of dangers including wars, volcanoes, hurricanes and wildfires.
Major cellular carriers were negligent in failing to properly inform Maui police of widespread service outages, county officials said in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in state court against Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, Spectrum Mobile and AT&T.
“We continue to stand with the Maui community as it heals from the tragic fires, but these claims are baseless,” T-Mobile said in a statement Thursday. “T-Mobile broadcasted wireless emergency alerts to customers while sites remained operational, promptly sent required outage notifications, and quickly contacted state and local emergency agencies and services.”
A Spectrum representative declined to comment, and the other carriers didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.
A flood of lawsuits has come out since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic town of Lahaina and killed 101 people.
Maui County is a defendant in multiple lawsuits over its emergency response during the fires. The county is also suing the Hawaiian Electric Company, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions.
In Maui’s latest legal action, lawyers for the county say if the county is found liable for damages, then the cell carriers’ “conduct substantially contributed to the damages” against the county.
“On August 8 and August 9, 2023, while the County’s courageous first responders battled fires across the island and worked to provide first aid and evacuate individuals to safety, the County notified those in the vicinity of danger through numerous alerts and warnings, including through direct text messaging to individual cell phones,” the lawsuit said.
The county sent at least 14 alert messages to cellphones, warning residents to evacuate, the lawsuit said. The county later discovered all 21 cell towers serving West Maui, including in Lahaina, experienced total failure.
“As of the date of this filing, the Cell Carriers still have not reported to the County the true extent and reach of the cell service outages on August 8 and August 9, 2023, as they are mandated to do under federal law,” the lawsuit said. “Had the Cell Carriers accurately reported to the County the complete and widespread failure of dozens of cell sites across the island as they were mandated to do by law, the County would have utilized different methods in its disaster and warning response.”
Two male Humpback whales were recently recorded having a homosexual encounter in the wild off the coast of Maui.
According to a new study by the Pacific Whale Foundation published in Marine Mammal Science, humpback whales have been studied extensively but documented instances of reproductive actions have been exceedingly rare. That is until some photographers – Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano – caught two male humpbacks engaging in sexual contact right below their boat 2 kilometers west of the Molokini crater off the coast of Maui on January 19, 2022.
They sent their photos to scientists who recently confirmed in a peer-reviewed study that the photos were confirmed to be one of very few documented instances of humpback penis extrusion and the very first documented instance of homosexual interactions between humpbacks.
“The sighting occurred when individuals aboard a private stationary vessel, located approximately two km west of the Molokini crater, saw two humpback whales approaching their boat. One whale was visibly thin and covered in whale lice, displaying signs of poor health and drawing the attention of the photographers,” said the Pacific Whale Foundation on their website. “During the encounter, a second whale engaged in an unexpected behavior—repeatedly approaching the first whale, using its pectoral fins to hold the injured whale in place, and initiating shallow, brief penetrations.”
The whales in question reportedly circled the photographers’ boat for a while, giving them ample opportunity to take their NSFWW (not suitable for whale workplace) photos. Scientists with the Pacific Whale Foundation hypothesized that since one of the whales seemed to be having health issues, this may have contributed to the behavior for whatever reason.
“The two whales circled the boat numerous times, allowing Krannichfeld and Romano the opportunity to carefully document the event by holding their cameras over the side of the stationary vessel (note: it is illegal to swim with or approach humpback whales within 100 yards in Hawaii and the vessel remained in neutral as the whales approached),” the Pacific Whale Foundation said. “The health disparity between the two whales adds a layer of complexity to this unique observation. One whale’s poor condition, possibly caused by a ship strike, may have contributed to the observed behavior.”
A male humpback whale with its penis inserted into the genital opening of another male humpback whale. Courtesy: Pacific Whale Foundation
The sexual encounter between the whales reportedly took place when one of the whales extruded its penis and penetrated the genital opening of the other whale. The penetrations lasted about two minutes at a time, according to the study, and lasted for about a half hour. When the encounter was over, the whale doing the penetrating took off right away (typical) and the sick whale hung out for a few minutes until swimming away as well.
“Upon reviewing the photographs, it was noticed that Whale A had a significant jaw injury, that likely impaired normal feeding behavior,” the study said. “It was also observed that Whale B had its penis extruded throughout the entire encounter and, at times, would penetrate the genital opening of Whale A, using its pectoral fins to hold Whale A.”
The study said that male humpback whale penis extrusions have been documented in the presence of other male humpbacks, but that this is the first time penetration has been documented. It has been previously theorized that the penis extrusions were acts of aggression towards the other males while competing for females during mating season.
Homosexual behavior is not particularly uncommon among members of the animal kingdom. It has been documented in dolphins, orcas, seals, walruses and several of my neighbors’ dogs. An entire book called Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity was published about the topic in 1999.
“The world is, indeed, teeming with homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered creatures of every stripe and feather. From the Southeastern Blueberry Bee of the United States to more than 130 different bird species worldwide, the ‘birds and the bees,’ literally are queer,” the book said. “On every continent, animals of the same sex seek each other out and have probably been doing so for millions of years. They court each other, using intricate and beautiful mating dances that are the result of eons of evolution.”
At the turn from the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway into the Mauna Kea Resort on the Kona coast of Hawai’i Island, I pulled over to the side of the road and told my wife to take over driving.
We were supposed to meet our former landlords from California for lunch at the resort’s beachside restaurant, but I couldn’t do what had been a generally accepted practice here in Hawai’i: stop at a guardhouse for permission to enter.
As an Indigenous person, I felt enervated, that it was wrong. I hate pulling up to a gated community in Hawai’i, but the islands are full of these artificial barriers intended to create paradise for visitors.
What’s extra galling is that all of Hawai’i’s beaches and coastlines are open to the public. There is no such thing as a private beach in Hawai’i, so access to the shoreline is a right, but it’s not always easy.
It’s not just the hotels. As I paddle along the coast in outrigger canoes, the coastlines of Hawai’i are full of homes and large lots of land that are gated and continually surveilled. Aloha, indeed.
Now the uneasy relationship between the ultrawealthy and those with generational ties to Hawai’i is being reexamined in the aftermath of the horrific fires on Maui in August.
Dwayne Johnson now understands this. He acknowledged on Instagram last month that he may have been insensitive in his appeal for donations to the People’s Fund of Maui he established with Oprah Winfrey in the wake of the fires two months ago.
Johnson said he had been paying attention to social media, and his statement was quickly accepted by prominent social media accounts in Hawai’i.
The question is whether Johnson’s fellow ultrawealthy individuals will follow his stated lead of trying to be better toward the people of Hawai’i.
The profound hurt on display in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires goes beyond the loss of life and property. It extends to the fear that this is the last straw for Native Hawaiians and those with generational ties to Hawai’i.
The story of how so much of Hawai’i ended up in the hands of outsiders is not pretty. The marketing of Hawai’i for real estate and tourism has back-burnered the plight of Native Hawaiians in favor of images of paradise. There’s no space in glossy publications selling luxury residences for the story of the overthrow of Hawai’i’s sovereign government by Americans.
Hawai’i is part of the American tradition of taking lands from Indigenous peoples and then pushing them to the brink of extinction.
But that was then—and that was them—not us today. What’s wrong with legally buying large amounts of land on an island (or buying 98% of Lana’i in the case of Oracle’s Larry Ellison), you may ask?
The answer is that it limits opportunity for Native Hawaiians by blocking off an already small amount of land, making Hawaii less affordable, less livable, and hastening the exodus of Hawaiians from their homelands. More Native Hawaiians now live outside of Hawai’i than live in Hawai’i.
Eight Maui firefighters were trapped by flames, abandoned cars, and downed poles this summer during the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. They went on to save others after they escaped.
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First, Rescuing Ukraine’s abducted children. Then, hear from Maui firefighters on surviving the wildfire. Next, Steven Van Zandt: The 60 Minutes Interview. And, descendants of the enslaved Africans brought to Alabama on the Clotilda slave ship speak up.
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United Airlines has launched a new two-day promotion for award fares to Maui, Hawaii.
Fly to Maui for as low as 30,000 miles roundtrip (plus taxes and fees starting at $11.20) when you book by November 8 and travel November 12 – December 16, with no blackout dates.
This offer is targeted to United MileagePlus Cardmembers and Premier members only. The promotion is valid for travel to Maui, Hawaii (OGG) from the contiguous 48 United States. You can see the promotion page here.
Additionally, for each roundtrip booked, United will give $10 to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises, including the recent wildfires in Maui.
Offer Terms
Must be a member of United MileagePlus® to participate.
This offer is targeted to United MileagePlus Cardmembers and Premier members only. Primary Cardmember or Premier member must login using MileagePlus number to book award. No limit to the number of award tickets booked. The promotion applies for new award bookings only and not to award tickets previously booked.
Promotion valid for travel to Maui, Hawaii (OGG) from the contiguous 48 United States.
Awards shown are valid for travel Sunday through Saturday. Awards are valid in the Economy (Coach) cabin on United/United Express carriers. Some flights may be operated by the following airlines, doing business as United Express:
Fee of $5.60 per one-way trip that does not include a government defined stopover, US Customs, Immigration and APHIS User Fees of $17.48 for each international arrival in the U.S.; and non-U.S. government ticket taxes, fees and airport charges may add up to $355 per ticket as of January 1, 2023. Such taxes, fees and surcharges must be paid at the time of ticketing and are subject to change. Any valid unused award ticket may be returned to the MileagePlus Service Center, for a service charge, up to one year from the date of issue. For more information on MileagePlus award travel visit united.com/awards.
Newly-released police bodycam footage captured the chaos and devastation which confronted officers as they responded to the wildfire in Lahaina, Maui, in August, as flames tore through the historic town. The island’s warning sirens did not sound, and with no fire trucks in sight, officers cut fences to try and create an escape path. Jonathon Vigliotti has more.
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Lahaina, Hawaii — Audio of 911 calls from a deadly August wildfire released late Thursday by Maui County authorities reveals a terrifying and chaotic scene as the inferno swept through the historic town of Lahaina and people desperately tried to escape burning homes and flames licking at cars in gridlocked traffic.
The 911 calls were released to The Associated Press in response to a public record request. They cover a period from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, whipped by powerful winds from a passing hurricane, bore down on the town.
A general view shows the aftermath of a raging August 8, 2023 wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Jae C. Hong / AP
At least 98 people were killed and more than 2,000 structures were destroyed, most of them homes, leveling a historic town that once served as the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom and a port for whaling ships. Many drivers became trapped on Front Street, surrounded on three sides by black smoke and a wall of flames. They had moments to choose whether to stay or jump into the ocean as cars exploded and burning debris fell around them.
The county and the families of some victims have sued Hawaiian Electric, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions.
The pleas for help came one right after another, people calling because they were stuck in cars on Front Street, trapped by fallen trees and power lines blocking evacuation routes or worried about loved ones who were home alone. Again and again, overwhelmed dispatchers apologized to callers but said there was no one available to send to their location, assuring them emergency responders were working to extinguish the fires.
Seniors dominate victims’ list
Roughly two-thirds of the known victims who died in the fire were 60 or older, according to a list from Maui County. The calls reflect the helplessness of the situation for those who needed help getting out quickly.
In one call at 3:31 p.m., a woman said her daughter already called about an 88-year-old man who was left behind in their house and she wanted emergency personnel to know the sliding doors were unlocked.
“He would literally have to be carried out,” she told the dispatcher. “I just had to leave him because I had the rest of my family in the car.”
A dispatcher said they would update the fire department.
Two minutes later, a woman called from the Hale Mahaolu Eono group senior residence. She was one of four people left at the facility without any cars as the flames pushed closer, she told the dispatcher.
“Are we supposed to get evacuated?” she asked the dispatcher, panic clear in her voice.
“OK ma’am, if you feel unsafe, listen to yourself and evacuate,” the dispatcher replied. No emergency vehicles were available to help, the dispatcher said, because all available units were fighting the fire.
As cinders rained around her, the woman tried to flag down people driving past to get a ride out while staying on the line with the dispatcher.
One car stopped but wouldn’t wait while she gathered her things. She eventually flagged down another passing woman. It wasn’t clear from the call what happened to the remaining people at the residence.
Multiple people died at the senior home, authorities would later learn.
Another large wildfire was burning elsewhere on Maui, spreading resources thin as calls for help poured in. As the disaster in Lahaina progressed, frustrations increased. One dispatcher briefly chastised a man when he called to report his elderly parents were stuck in their burning home at 4:56 p.m.
‘Why did they not call us direct? They should have called us direct,” the dispatcher said, saying that would make it easier to find their location. She also said the man should have told them to leave the house sooner.
“Yes, we’ve been trying to tell them – my dad was trying to fight the fire,” the man said. “The last words he said is, ‘I love you. We’re not going to make it.’”
Dispatchers had central role
At times dispatchers also showed careful compassion, working to soothe terrified callers.
“My mom and my baby are still out there,” one sobbing caller told a 911 dispatcher at 4:44 p.m. “They got out of their car and they headed up the street.”
The dispatcher coaxed the frantic woman to provide the street name where she last saw her mother and child.
“We have officers over there, OK?” the dispatcher said.
Authorities redacted names and addresses from the recordings to avoid releasing personally identifying information.
The audio clips echo a refrain heard from many survivors: They were unable to escape, even by car, because of traffic and blocked roads.
One caller said cars were being routed into a gated parking lot and were forced to turn around. Another said they were routed onto a dirt road behind the Lahaina Civic Center, but also found their way blocked by a locked gate. A third caller told dispatchers they needed to open a road on a south side of town, warning that the blocked exit would result in people dying.
One woman told a dispatcher that she was on Front Street and saw a house on fire, but couldn’t advance.
“We’re caught in massive traffic and we’re covered in ashes and embers and there’s a lot of people honking and trying to get out of the road,” the caller said.
The dispatcher apologized and said firefighters were trying to get there.
“It’s just really scary,” the caller said.
Urgency just kept building
At 5:25 p.m., more than two hours after the fire began consuming homes, it appeared some dispatchers still didn’t have a full understanding of what was happening in the city. One dispatcher told a caller who was stuck in traffic that emergency workers were busy “because Lahaina has a couple of house fires going on right now.”
“If you’re safe, you need to stay there. If you’re not safe, you need to find some way to get to the ocean,” she told the caller.
High winds wreaked havoc the night and early morning hours before the fire. One downed power line sparked a fire in dry grass near a Lahaina subdivision around 6:30 a.m.
Firefighters declared it contained a few hours later, but the flames rekindled some time between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and soon overtook the town.
Around that time, many had lost cellphone service. Power was also out across West Maui, rendering emergency warnings on social media or television stations largely futile. The island’s emergency siren system – another way authorities can communicate urgency in a time of danger – was never activated.
For some, emergency dispatchers were their only contact with the world beyond the burning town. Later even that connection was lost.
Just after midnight on Aug. 9, Maui County announced on Facebook that the 911 system was down in West Maui. Instead, the county wrote, people should call the Lahaina Police Department directly.
Parts of western Maui reopened to visitors on Sunday just two months after wildfires destroyed the historic town of Lahaina. Officials hope an influx of tourism will help the ongoing recovery. Jonathan Vigliotti has more.
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HONOLULU (AP) — The area around the Maui town largely destroyed by wildfire two months ago began welcoming back travelers on Sunday after the mayor and Hawaii’s governor pushed ahead to restart tourism to boost the economy despite opposition from some Lahaina residents.
Five hotels in West Maui were accepting reservations again, according to their websites and the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association. In addition, eight timeshare properties — in which visitors have an ownership stake in their room — were opening across the region early this month, including some a few miles from the devastation.
The reopening fell on the two-month anniversary of the wildfire that killed at least 98 people and destroyed more than 2,000 structures, many of them homes and apartments.
Many local residents have objected to resuming tourism in West Maui, which includes Lahaina town and a stretch of coastline to the north. Opponents said they don’t want travelers asking them about their traumatic experiences while they are grieving the loss of their loved ones and processing the destruction of their homes.
More than 3,500 Lahaina-area residents signed a petition asking Hawaii Gov. Josh Green to delay the restart. Green said restarting would help Maui’s tourism-driven economy get on a path to recovery.
It’s not clear how many travelers were staying at hotels and timeshares. Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said her organization’s surveys indicated the number will be “low.” She predicted “a very slow ramp up to visitors coming back.”
Maui County on Saturday released a video message from Mayor Richard Bissen acknowledging the difficulties of the situation.
“I know we are still grieving, and it feels too soon. But the reality is there are those in our community who are ready to get back to work. Bills need to be paid, keiki have needs and our kupuna face continued medical care,” Bissen said, using the Hawaiian words for children and elders, respectively.
Thousands of tourists staying in beachfront hotels north of the burn zone left Maui in the days after the fire. Some 11,000 hotel rooms in West Maui have since either sat empty or housed displaced Lahaina residents under a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross.
Bissen said he was working hard to make sure no one affected by the fire has to leave their temporary housing to make room for visitors.
The county prepared another video highlighting places visitors could go outside West Maui, including the town of Paia on Maui’s north shore and the scenic road to Hana on the island’s east side.
The video message urged visitors to show respect by staying away from the burn zone, not taking and posting “inappropriate images” on social media, and following signs and instructions.
Separately, the governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience prepared a flyer with tips on how visitors can be respectful, which it planned to distribute at hotels, rental car desks and other places visitors frequent.
Four of the five reopening hotels were in the northernmost section of West Maui, including the Ritz-Carlton at Kapalua. This area is 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 kilometers) and a 15- to 20-minute drive north of the part of Lahaina that burned.
Green had indicated fewer hotels would open. He told the Hawaii News Now interview program “Spotlight Now” last week that “I believe only one or maybe two hotels will be fully opened on that date, on the 8th.” Green’s office said the numbers have fluctuated over time.
The Mauian is among the hotels welcoming travelers again. It posted a note on its website saying the return of visitors would help stabilize the economy and provide jobs and support “for those who lost so much in this disaster.”
“However, we humbly ask that if you visit West Maui in coming months, please do so with sensitivity and respect for those who have suffered great losses,” the note said. “Your kindness, understanding and aloha will be appreciated during this time.”
Paulson, from the lodging association, said timeshares sometimes rent to non-owner travelers but were not doing so now in West Maui to be respectful, she said.
Residents in Lahaina are petitioning Hawaii Gov. Josh Green to delay reopening West Maui to tourists this weekend, saying the community is still grieving and needs more time to heal after the devastating wildfires that left 97 dead.
The fires on West Maui nearly leveled the historic town of Lahaina in early August, obliterating homes and displacing hundreds of residents – many of whom had to make harrowing escapes to survive. Crews spent days digging through the ashes of what used to be homes, businesses and historic landmarks in search of remains.
“The weight of recent events still burden on our shoulders and our souls ache with grief,” Lahaina native Paele Kiakona said at a news conference Tuesday. “Yet, amidst this profound pain, we are being urged to march forward even as our wounds remain open and vulnerable. We urgently ask for understanding and patience to allow survivors more time to grieve.”
“Not yet,” he said. “Our grief is still too fresh and our loss is too profound.”
The petition by local organization Lahaina Strong, which has over 15,000 signatures, says Lahaina’s working families are still struggling to find shelter, to provide for their children’s education and to cope with the trauma.
“Delaying the reopening will allow for a more comprehensive and inclusive approach that takes into account the welfare and well-being of all West Maui residents and visitors alike,” the petition says.
Green told CNN in a statement that reopening is necessary to help the over 8,700 people on Maui who are unemployed, saying reopening “will heal faster and continue to be able to afford to live on the island they love and call home.”
“Some people aren’t ready, and we’re going to let people find their own time and way, with our administration providing the services they need to help them get there,” he said. “We will gently reopen in partnership with Mayor Bissen and the County of Maui and will utilize a phased approach throughout the month of October.”
Kiakona said he’s an employee on the island himself, and understands that the business will benefit from reopening, but he’s not ready to face questions about what he’s gone through.
“I’m not ready to go back. I don’t want the conversation to always be, ‘Oh, did you lose your home?’” Kiakona said.
“We understand the economic implications – the world’s eagerness to experience the magic of Lahaina once more. But we implore you, let Lahaina heal. Let our spirits find peace. Let’s move forward, but only when we’re truly ready,” Kiakona said.
Kiakona said many of the town’s residents are faced with the difficult task of trying to balance personal healing with the urgency to provide for their families.
“While the ashes may have settled, our hearts still ache trying to find solace and make sense of this devastation,” Kiakona said.
The group on Tuesday urged the state to allocate more funds towards direct unemployment benefits for workers and grants for small businesses.
The state currently has disaster unemployment benefits available through February 2024 for Maui workers and business owners who lost their jobs or had reduced work hours due to the wildfires, according to Maui officials.
Maui Councilmember Tamara Paltin, who joined the petitioners Tuesday, said that while two months might seem like a long time,survivors have spent them trying to get housing and many children aren’t back in school yet.
There were over 7,700 people still staying at 40 Red Cross temporary housing locations around Maui as of last week, according to the county.
Paltin reminded tourists that other parts of the island are open, including beach communities in south Maui.
“Maui isn’t closed, West Maui is closed,” Paltin said. “Feel free to visit Wailea-Makena, stay there and enjoy your vacation and support our economy from South Maui.”
The death toll from last month’s Maui wildfires has dropped from at least 115 to 97 people, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced Friday.
In a video posted to social media Friday afternoon, Green said that the “number dropped a little bit because the Department of Defense and all of their physical anthropologists were able to help us discern better who was in cars or in houses.”
He did not immediately elaborate on why the death toll had been projected by Maui County officials at 115 for several weeks.
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WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Authorities in Hawaii have adjusted the number of deaths from the deadly Maui wildfires down to at least 97 people.
Previously officials said they believed at least 115 people had died in the fires, but further testing showed they had multiple DNA samples from some of those who died.
John Byrd, a forensics laboratory director with the U.S. Department of Defense, said during a press conference Friday afternoon that the current number of dead should be considered a minimum, because it’s possible that toll could rise.
Determining the death toll from the Aug. 8 wildfires in Lahaina has been especially complicated because of the damage caused by the fire and the chaos as people tried to escape, officials said. In some cases, animal remains were inadvertently collected along with human remains.
So far, 74 of the deceased have been positively identified, said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier.
Wailuku, Hawaii — Maui authorities said Thursday they’re planning to start letting residents and business owners make escorted visits to their properties in the restricted Lahaina Wildfire Disaster area later this month.
It’s been nearly five weeks since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century devastated the historic town of Lahaina, killing 115 people and with dozens still listed as missing.
Views from the air show Lahaina on August 10, 2023 after wildfires driven by high winds burned across most of the town on the island of Maui in Hawaii several days earlier.
MARCO GARCIA / REUTERS
Darryl Oliveira, Maui Emergency Management Agency interim administrator, said in a news conference that officials plan to allow people in certain zones to start entering the restricted area Sept. 25. He said the goal and purpose of the supervised visits is for them to see their homes and properties safely and to get some closure.
“I really want to appreciate, or extend my appreciation to the community for being so patient and understanding, because I know that this has been long-awaited,” Oliveira said.
How process will work
The process will involve applying for a pass and meeting with officials before the escorted visits. Oliveira said they will be offered by zones depending on where the Environmental Protection Agency has finished hazardous materials removal work.
The first zones will be announced Monday and officials will start contacting people to let them know and walk them through the process, he said.
“It is just overwhelming to see the devastation, so part of our process is to support people and prepare them for what to experience,” he said. “We don’t want to traumatize or hurt anyone more than they’ve been hurt to date.”
Oliveira said people will be provided with protective gear, including respirators and special suits, and instructed on how to properly sift through debris while limiting exposure to toxic ash, according to CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV. “We don’t want to hurt anyone any more than they’ve already been hurt,” he said.
Water, shade and portable toilets will be available during the visits, Oliveira added. Health care providers will be available, and there will be guidance for salvaging any items at the properties.
Fire damage is seen from President Biden’s motorcade in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 21, 2023.
MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
“We don’t want people stirring up toxic dust so will give guidance on gently moving through to search for anything,” he said.
People who didn’t live or have businesses in the restricted area won’t be allowed to visit.
“It is not a safe environment for people to be in,” he said, adding much work remains to be done.
What’s ahead
“At some point, the Army Corps of Engineers will start removing debris, but not until people have time to get in and get their closure,” he said.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that people displaced by the fire are being moved into more permanent housing “the best that we can,” including longer-term rentals and extended Airbnb rentals with a goal of getting people into 18 months of housing.
He said some may stay in hotels and another goal is to consolidate the number of hotels so services can more easily be provided.
The number of people on the official list of those missing from the Maui wildfire stood at 385 on Friday, nearly unchanged from a week earlier.
In a news release, the Maui Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said 245 people on the list of 388 made public the previous week were located and removed. However, a nearly equal number of new names were added.
The updated total was a startling departure from what had been expected — a day earlier Gov. Josh Green said he believed the number would fall below 100.
“We think the number has dropped down into the double digits, so thank God,” Green said in a video posted to social media.
After Maui police released the updated list, the governor said the numbers of fatalities and missing are often in flux in mass casualty events until investigations are completed.
“Exact numbers are going to take time, perhaps a long time, to become finalized,” Green said in a statement provided through a spokesperson.
He said there are less than 50 “active missing person cases.” He didn’t elaborate but indicated those are the people for whom more information was provided than the minimum to be on the missing list compiled by the FBI. It only requires a first and last name provided by a person with a verified contact number.
A worker is seen in the fire-ravaged town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 22, 2023.
Gao Shan/Xinhua via Getty Images
Authorities have said at least 115 people died in the blaze that swept through Lahaina, the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. So far, the names of 50 people have been publicly released and five others have been identified but their identities withheld because next of kin haven’t been reached. The rest have yet to be identified.
The flames turned the picturesque seaside town into rubble in a few short hours on Aug. 8. Wind gusts topping 60 mph ripped through the town, causing the flames to spread exceptionally quickly.
Lahaina has deep significance in Hawaiian history as the one-time capital of former Hawaiian kingdom and as the home to high-ranking chiefs for centuries. In recent decades, the town became popular with tourists, who ate at its oceanfront restaurants and marveled at a majestic 150-year-old banyan tree.
Half the town’s 12,000 residents are now living in hotels and short-term vacation rentals. The Environmental Protection Agency is leading an effort to clean hazardous waste left in a burn zone stretching across some 5 square miles.
Reconstruction is expected to take years and cost billions.
Initially more than 1,000 people were believed unaccounted for based on family, friends or acquaintances reporting them as missing. Officials narrowed that list down to 388 names who were credibly considered missing and released the names to the public last week.
New names on Friday’s updated list were added from the Red Cross, shelters and interested parties who contacted the FBI, Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said. He urged family members of the missing to submit their genetic data to help identify their relatives.
“If you have a loved one that you know is missing and you are a family member, it’s imperative that you get a DNA sample,” Pelletier said in a video posted to Instagram.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but it’s possible powerlines from downed utility poles ignited the blaze. Maui County has sued Hawaiian Electric, the electrical utility for the island.
The utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire early on Aug. 8 but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby.
Local government officials have faced significant criticism for their response both before, during and after the Lahaina fire, one of several which sparked on Maui on Aug. 8.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen has been vague as to his actions as the Lahaina fire was spreading. In an interview Bissen gave to local station KITV-TV, just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 8, he said, “I’m happy to report the road is open to and from Lahaina.”
However, Bissen was seemingly unaware that, at that point, much of downtown Lahaina was already ablaze. And while it was Bissen’s job to ask the state for emergency backup, the mayor told reporters this week he did not call the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
“I can’t speak to what — or whose responsibility it was to communicate directly,” Bissen told CBS News this week. “I can’t say who was responsible for communicating with General Hara.”
Major General Kenneth Hara, the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said in a recent interview with Hawaii News Now that he was initially unaware of crucial details about the fire.
“I thought everyone had gotten out safely,” he said. “It wasn’t until probably the next day I started hearing about fatalities.”
Amid calls for his resignation, Bissen released a video statement Thursday in which he said:
“I want to be clear and repeat, that I have been present in our emergency operations center, since Aug. 7,” adding he did “become aware of fatalities” until Aug. 9.
“My first thoughts are, we should really get to all of the facts, whatever they may be, good or bad, that is a deeply personal discussion for any mayor and his or her constituents to have,” Green told CBS News in an interview Friday when asked whether Bissen should resign.
On Aug. 17, a little over a week after the fire broke out, Herman Andaya resigned from his post as chief of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, just one day after he publicly defended his controversial decision not to activate the island’s warning sirens when the Lahaina fire was spreading.
Andaya argued that sounding the sirens could have created confusion by sending Lahaina residents into the path of the blaze because they may have thought the sirens were signaling a tsunami, not a wildfire.
“The public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the sirens are sounded,” Andaya told reporters on Aug. 16.
“Had we sounded the sirens that night, we were afraid that people would have gone mauka (mountainside), and if that was the case, they would have gone into the fire,” he added.
Andaya has since been replaced by Darryl Oliveira, a former Hawaii Fire Department chief who also served as the head of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.
Residents in communities hit by Hurricane Idalia, the Maui fires or other recent disasters have a long, tough journey ahead. How well the initial disaster response meets their needs has far-reaching consequences for community resilience, especially for vulnerable residents, as we saw after Hurricanes Katrina and Maria.
I am a law professor who focuses on disaster recovery and preparedness and has created several legal clinics to assist survivors. Here’s what anyone facing losses after a federally declared disaster needs to know.
Declaring a disaster
The road to recovery starts with state and federal governments identifying damages – both property damage and economic damage. These assessments will shape the scope of federal assistance and how resources are allocated for each community and survivor. The level of damage will determine whether the president approves a major disaster declaration or simply an emergency declaration.
FEMA created a survey tool, released in May 2023, to make these assessments more consistent. It is now used by officials to collect information about damage to residences, whether owners or renters live there, and the amount of insurance coverage, among other details. That information is then used to determine the extent of the disaster, its impact on infrastructure and the type of aid needed in the request for a federal disaster declaration.
Once the federal government issues an emergency or major disaster declaration, individuals can apply for disaster recovery funding.
Documenting the damage
Step 2 is determining individual damages.
Amid the grief and the rush to find temporary housing and rebuild lives, it can be hard to focus on meticulously documenting what was lost and dealing with insurance. But federal aid has relatively short deadlines – people have 30 days from the formal disaster declaration to apply for disaster unemployment assistance and 60 days for individual and household assistance, such as aid for housing, though that deadline is often extended.
As soon as possible, disaster survivors should take photos of the damage and record every affected area of their property. That includes capturing details of damage to structures, personal belongings, vehicles and any medical equipment. This documentation will help provide the evidence for insurance claims, requests for government assistance and potential tax savings.
The Internal Revenue Service has a helpful guide for reconstructing records after catastrophic disasters that destroy everything. Government agencies can recover lost driving records, mortgage records, wills and vehicle sales records. Most of the costs for these searches can be waived after a disaster.
There are other sources, too. Title companies, property tax assessors and real estate brokers will have many documents related to a home’s value and possibly photos. Insurance policies typically list major assets. Credit card companies may have statements showing major purchases. Mobile phones, friends and social media accounts may have more photos of the property.
Keeping records such as repair invoices, receipts, leases, canceled checks and money orders can also help provide an overview of the losses. FEMA recently amended its policy to also allow affidavits to prove ownership of homes passed down through generations, known as heirship property.
Finding disaster aid
People generally have four options for aid: insurance coverage, FEMA benefits, community or nonprofit funding, and private funding, including loans. Navigating this complex landscape can be hard.
Start with your insurance – homeowners insurance, renters insurance and insurance for vehicles, as well as medical, dental and health. Disaster survivors must apply for their relevant insurance payouts before FEMA will pay benefits. President Joe Biden made an exception to this rule to offer a one-time $700 payment for Maui residents to assist with critical needs, including shelter and transportation.
In cases where insurance coverage is denied or the person doesn’t have insurance, FEMA can become a lifeline.
FEMA’s Individual Assistance program offers benefits that include coverage for temporary lodging, home repair, transportation and medical needs. The agency provides up to $41,000 for housing assistance after emergencies or disaster declarations. FEMA’s disaster relief fund is close to depleted, however, after several multibillion-dollar disasters. Without additional funding from Congress soon, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said some recovery funding may be delayed to the next fiscal year, which starts in October.
To cover the costs that go beyond FEMA’s limits, survivors may need to secure private loans or disaster loans, such as Small Business Administration disaster loans, to bridge the gap. Homeowners can apply for SBA loans to replace or repair their primary residence or personal property, including cars, furniture and other items. Additionally, SBA loans can also cover business losses.
For those unwilling or unable to resort to loans, state and local governments often create housing recovery centers using Community Development Block Grants. These grants can help survivors reestablish housing, but the funding also takes much longer to arrive. A CBDG grant in Baton Rouge provided funding for rebuilding housing and to mitigate future flood damage in housing and rental programs after the area flooded in 2016.
Community partnerships are crucial
Amid the complexities of disaster recovery, the importance of community planning and collaboration cannot be overstated.
A coordinated approach that involves local governments, relief organizations and community leaders serves as a catalyst for effective recovery and also makes it easier to identify vulnerable populations and ensure the equitable distribution of resources so no one is left behind.
Communities often set up centers where residents can find and speak to advisers from insurance companies, FEMA and other sources of support. These disaster recovery centers can be the cornerstone for long-term recovery groups that help a community both recover and build resilience.
Five years after Hurricane Maria, community groups were still on the ground in Puerto Rico providing aid and resources to the local community. Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, local housing groups were still providing support to New Orleans residents, especially those employed in the hospitality industry.
In the midst of this formidable journey to recovery, the indomitable spirit of communities banding together, combined with the concerted efforts of government agencies and organizations, can be uplifting. Each step forward represents a collective stride toward healing, renewal and a future marked by greater unity.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
The duo launched the People’s Fund of Maui this week and jointly announced Thursday on Instagram that it will put “money directly in the pockets of those who were affected by the recent wildfires.” They kicked things off themselves with a $10 million donation.
“As we have seen firsthand, the impacts of these wildfires have been devastating, and we’re here to ensure with 100% guarantee that your donations will go directly into the hands of Lahaina residents,” the social media post explained.
“Every adult resident who lives in the affected area and was displaced by the wildfires in Lahaina and Kula is eligible to receive $1200 per month to help them through this period of recovery,” it continued. “All you have to do is go to PeoplesFundofMaui.org to apply.”
The fires reportedly began after midnight on Aug. 8 and were fueled by strong winds that reportedly pushed the flames along. Up to 1,100 people are still missing in Lahaina, a town of 13,000, which continues to be searched for survivors and human remains.
“As people around the world watched the catastrophic loss and devastation caused by the Maui wildfires, they also witnessed the great spirit and resilience of our Polynesian culture and the tremendous strength of the people of Maui,” said Johnson in a release, per People.
Johnson spent part of his childhood in Hawaii and urged the people of Maui to “stay together” earlier this month. Winfrey, whose own house near Lahaina was spared from the inferno, was apparently inspired to donate help with donations by Dolly Parton.
“The main thing I’ve been hearing is their concern about how to move forward under the immense financial burden … I read this article that Dolly Parton had given money in her community, and I said, ‘I think this is the answer,’” said Winfrey in Thursday’s news release.
Meanwhile, Johnson thanked everyone for their help, prayers and resources in Thursday’s news release. He lauded the “esteemed community leaders” for “offering their guidance” with the People’s Fund and reminded locals of their history:
“Even in the most difficult of times, the people of Maui come together, and we rise — that’s what makes us stronger.”
