INSIDER
Maui Invitational returns to a Lahaina still grappling with raw emotions left by deadly wildfire
Read full article: Maui Invitational returns to a Lahaina still grappling with raw emotions left by deadly wildfireResidents of the Hawaii town devastated by last year's wildfire are awaiting the return of one of the nation's most prestigious basketball tournaments with mixed feelings.
Maui's toxic debris could fill 5 football fields 5 stories deep. Where will it end up?
Read full article: Maui's toxic debris could fill 5 football fields 5 stories deep. Where will it end up?The debris and ash that remained after a deadly wildfire last year decimated a historic Maui town now sits in a temporary dump site.
Tropical Storm Hone forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Hawaii this weekend
Read full article: Tropical Storm Hone forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Hawaii this weekendTropical Storm Hone is expected to deliver strong winds and heavy rain to Hawaii this weekend as it passes south of the island chain.
How horses at the Spirit Horse Ranch help Maui wildfire survivors process their grief
Read full article: How horses at the Spirit Horse Ranch help Maui wildfire survivors process their griefOne year after the Maui fires, thousands of residents struggle with grieving the losses of loved ones and generational homes.
How Lahaina's more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fire
Read full article: How Lahaina's more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fireThe deadly wildfire that tore through Lahaina last August scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town's Front Street.
'We're going to survive and it's going to come back': A year after Maui wildfire, survivors press on
Read full article: 'We're going to survive and it's going to come back': A year after Maui wildfire, survivors press onHawaii residents have faced a year of challenges since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century decimated the historic town of Lahaina, on Maui, on Aug. 8, 2023.
Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings say
Read full article: Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings sayA court filing says the parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement.
Why now could be an ideal time to explore the island of Maui
Read full article: Why now could be an ideal time to explore the island of MauiNearly a year after devastating wildfires destroyed parts of Maui, including the entire town of Lahaina, the attitudes about travel have now shifted and become more optimistic. Travelzoo Senior Editor Gabe Saglie chats with Houston Life hosts Derrick Shore and Tessa Barrera about what's happening outside the burn zone and explains how travel numbers are still so low that now might be a great time to make that trip across the Pacific.
2 men were arrested on public road within Oprah's Hawaii ranch. They're suspected of illegal hunting
Read full article: 2 men were arrested on public road within Oprah's Hawaii ranch. They're suspected of illegal huntingHawaii officials say two men arrested on a public road within Oprah Winfrey's property on the island of Maui are suspected of illegal night hunting.
Hawaii wildfire death toll rises to 102 after woman determined to have died from fire injuries
Read full article: Hawaii wildfire death toll rises to 102 after woman determined to have died from fire injuriesHawaii authorities say the death toll from last year’s wildfire in Lahaina on the island of Maui has risen to 102.
Hawaii study shows almost 75% of Maui wildfire survey participants have respiratory issues
Read full article: Hawaii study shows almost 75% of Maui wildfire survey participants have respiratory issuesA University of Hawaii study examining the health effects of last year’s deadly wildfires on Maui has found that up to 74% of participants may have difficulty breathing and otherwise have poor respiratory health.
No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials say
Read full article: No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials sayHawaii health officials say testing on west Maui residents shows no evidence of widespread lead exposure from last summer’s wildfires.
Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fire
Read full article: Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fireA new report shows that the head of Maui's emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island as wildfires ripped across the island last August.
Subpoenas on Maui agencies and officials delay release of key report into deadly wildfire
Read full article: Subpoenas on Maui agencies and officials delay release of key report into deadly wildfireHawaii’s attorney general is blaming a delay of the release of a key report into a deadly Maui wildfire on county agencies that forced investigators to issue subpoenas.
Maui officials aim to accelerate processing of permits to help Lahaina rebuild
Read full article: Maui officials aim to accelerate processing of permits to help Lahaina rebuildLocal officials in Hawaii plan to open an office that will speed up Maui County’s notoriously slow processing of building permits to help the town of Lahaina to recover from last year’s deadly wildfire.
Police confirm identity of 101st victim of huge Maui wildfire
Read full article: Police confirm identity of 101st victim of huge Maui wildfireThe death toll from the wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, has climbed to 101 after Maui police confirmed the identity of one new victim, a 76-year-old man.
Grave peril of digital conspiracy theories: 'What happens when no one believes anything anymore?'
Read full article: Grave peril of digital conspiracy theories: 'What happens when no one believes anything anymore?'It's not uncommon to believe conspiracy theories, and surveys show that many Americans believe in at least one of them.
Wildfire prevention and helping Maui recover from flames top the agenda for Hawaii lawmakers
Read full article: Wildfire prevention and helping Maui recover from flames top the agenda for Hawaii lawmakersHawaii lawmakers are due to convene this week for the first time since the burning of historic Lahaina awakened the state to the deadly and costly threat posed by wildfires in an age of climate change.
Maui's economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?
Read full article: Maui's economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?Hawaii’s governor and mayor are welcoming tourists back to the west side of Maui months after August wildfires killed at least 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings.
Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivors
Read full article: Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivorsHawaii Gov. Josh Green says he he wants 3,000 condos and homes normally rented to Maui tourists converted to long-term housing for displaced wildfire survivors who are still living in hotels.
To save the climate, the oil and gas sector must slash planet-warming operations, report says
Read full article: To save the climate, the oil and gas sector must slash planet-warming operations, report saysThe oil and gas sector, one of the major emitters of planet-warming gases, will need a rapid and substantial overhaul for the world to avoid even worse extremes fueled by human-caused climate change.
Evacuees live nomadic life after Maui wildfire as housing shortage intensifies and tourists return
Read full article: Evacuees live nomadic life after Maui wildfire as housing shortage intensifies and tourists returnThousands of people displaced by the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century are facing uncertainty as they try to find housing in an expensive housing market that’s also in high demand as a vacation spot.
Many questions but few answers in congressional hearing on Maui's wildfire and electric provider
Read full article: Many questions but few answers in congressional hearing on Maui's wildfire and electric providerLawmakers probing the cause of last month’s deadly Maui wildfire did not get many answers during Thursday’s congressional hearing on the role the electrical grid played in the disaster.
Firehouse Subs to donate some proceeds of King’s Hawaiian Sandwich to support victims of Maui wildfires
Read full article: Firehouse Subs to donate some proceeds of King’s Hawaiian Sandwich to support victims of Maui wildfiresThe Firehouse Subs restaurant chain is helping those affected by the Maui wildfires by bringing back their King’s Hawaiian Pork and Slaw Sandwich.
Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfire
Read full article: Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfireAmong the first families to return to the burn zone in Lahaina is that of Leola Vierra, who spent nearly 50 years living in a home she designed before it burned down Aug. 8 in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.
Sorrow in paradise: What I felt returning to Maui for the first time since the Lahaina wildfire
Read full article: Sorrow in paradise: What I felt returning to Maui for the first time since the Lahaina wildfireBorn and bred in Texas, I've built a second home on the island of Maui. This week, I traveled back there for the first time since the deadly Lahaina wildfire on Aug. 8, 2023.
Maui wildfires: Hawaii cat sanctuary struggles with drop in donations after disaster
Read full article: Maui wildfires: Hawaii cat sanctuary struggles with drop in donations after disasterA cat sanctuary in Hawaii is struggling to care for its hundreds of animals after the wildfires in Maui last month caused tourist travel to the islands to plummet.
The Maui Invitational is relocating to Honolulu in the wake of the wildfires that devastated Lahaina
Read full article: The Maui Invitational is relocating to Honolulu in the wake of the wildfires that devastated LahainaThe Maui Invitational will be held in Honolulu this year because of the wildfires that devastated Lahaina, where the tournament usually is played.
Lahaina's fire-stricken Filipino residents are key to tourism and local culture. Will they stay?
Read full article: Lahaina's fire-stricken Filipino residents are key to tourism and local culture. Will they stay?Filipinos began arriving in Hawaii more than a century ago to work on sugarcane and pineapple plantations to support their families back home.
Things to know about aid, lawsuits and tourism nearly a month after fire leveled a Hawaii community
Read full article: Things to know about aid, lawsuits and tourism nearly a month after fire leveled a Hawaii communityIt's been nearly a month since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed at least 115 people in Hawaii.
Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the island
Read full article: Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the islandAerosmith singer Steven Tyler wants his fans to visit the Hawaiian island of Maui to help its economy recover from last month's devastating wildfires.
After Maui's wildfires, thousands brace for long process of restoring safe water service
Read full article: After Maui's wildfires, thousands brace for long process of restoring safe water serviceSome populated areas of Maui are looking at months or even years before their water systems are fully and safely restored following the wildfires that devastated the island last month.
Maui fire missing list falls slightly to 385. Governor had indicated it would be below 100
Read full article: Maui fire missing list falls slightly to 385. Governor had indicated it would be below 100The number of people on the official list of those missing from the Maui wildfire stands at 385, nearly unchanged from a week earlier.
White House asks Congress to pass short-term funding to keep government operating, official tells AP
Read full article: White House asks Congress to pass short-term funding to keep government operating, official tells APThe White House says Congress should pass a short-term funding measure to ensure the government keeps operating after the current budget year ends Sept. 30.
Forecasters warn of increased fire risk in Hawaii amid gusty winds, low humidity
Read full article: Forecasters warn of increased fire risk in Hawaii amid gusty winds, low humidityThe National Weather Service is warning gusty winds and low humidity are increasing the risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island.
Biden warns Idalia still dangerous, says he hasn't forgotten about the victims of Hawaii's wildfires
Read full article: Biden warns Idalia still dangerous, says he hasn't forgotten about the victims of Hawaii's wildfiresPresident Joe Biden says Hurricane Idalia is “still very dangerous” even though it has weakened since coming ashore in Florida on Wednesday morning.
Unclear how many in Lahaina lost lives as Hawaii authorities near the end of their search for dead
Read full article: Unclear how many in Lahaina lost lives as Hawaii authorities near the end of their search for deadCrews in Hawaii have all but finished searching for victims of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, and it is unclear how many people perished.
Hawaii's cherished notion of family, the ohana, endures in tragedy's aftermath
Read full article: Hawaii's cherished notion of family, the ohana, endures in tragedy's aftermathHundreds of homes are gone, scores of lives lost and hundreds of people still missing after a fire ripped through the town of Lahaina.
Hawaii officials urge families of people missing after deadly fires to give DNA samples
Read full article: Hawaii officials urge families of people missing after deadly fires to give DNA samplesAuthorities in Hawaii are pleading with relatives of those missing after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century to come forward and give DNA samples.
President Biden to deliver remarks in Maui after devastating wildfires
Read full article: President Biden to deliver remarks in Maui after devastating wildfiresPresident Joe Biden told survivors of Hawaii’s wildfires that the nation “grieves with you” and promised that the federal government will help Hawaii “for as long as it takes” to recover from the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.
Immigrant workers’ lives, livelihoods and documents in limbo after the Hawaii fire
Read full article: Immigrant workers’ lives, livelihoods and documents in limbo after the Hawaii fireForeign workers once benefitted from jobs that were plentiful in Lahaina before fires whipped by hurricane-force winds leveled the Hawaiian town earlier this month.
Maui water is unsafe even with filters, one of the lessons learned from fires in California
Read full article: Maui water is unsafe even with filters, one of the lessons learned from fires in CaliforniaExperts are using strong language to warn Maui residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula not to filter their own tap water.
FEMA has paid out more than $5.6 million to Maui survivors, a figure expected to grow significantly
Read full article: FEMA has paid out more than $5.6 million to Maui survivors, a figure expected to grow significantlyThe Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday it has approved more than $5.6 million in assistance to nearly 2,000 households in Maui so far as the federal government tries to help survivors of the devastating wildfires.
Harrowing stories surface from those who jumped into the ocean to escape Maui wildfires
Read full article: Harrowing stories surface from those who jumped into the ocean to escape Maui wildfiresOne of the many abandoned cars near the shoreline of the Hawaiian island of Maui exploded, shaking the earth and blanketing the dozens of people bobbing in the ocean with a brief blast of heat.
In Hawaii, concerns over 'climate gentrification' rise after devastating Maui fires
Read full article: In Hawaii, concerns over 'climate gentrification' rise after devastating Maui firesThe fires that broke out on Maui last week have exacerbated Hawaii’s housing crisis as more than 3,000 buildings in Lahaina were damaged or destroyed, leaving many wondering if homeowners can afford to rebuild.
Identifying victims of the Maui wildfire will be a challenging task. Here's what it entails
Read full article: Identifying victims of the Maui wildfire will be a challenging task. Here's what it entailsOfficials face a formidable challenge identifying the remains of more than 100 victims of the Maui blaze as agonized loved ones yearn for information on those missing after the United States’ deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
Schools reopening, traffic moving again in signs of recovery from Maui fires that killed 110
Read full article: Schools reopening, traffic moving again in signs of recovery from Maui fires that killed 110Public schools on Maui are starting the process of reopening and vehicle traffic is moving again in signs of recovery a week after wildfires demolished a historic town and killed at least 110 people.
Maui police chief pleads for patience, recalls pain of victim IDs after deadly Vegas mass shooting
Read full article: Maui police chief pleads for patience, recalls pain of victim IDs after deadly Vegas mass shootingThe police chief in Maui has been pleading for patience while the bodies of victims of Hawaii’s deadly wildfires are found and identified.
Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor says
Read full article: Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor saysHawaii's governor says the blaze that burned through the town of Lahaina on Maui last week has killed at least 101 people, as recovery efforts continue.
Houston man who grew up in Lahaina launches fundraising effort to help wildfire survivors
Read full article: Houston man who grew up in Lahaina launches fundraising effort to help wildfire survivorsAs the death toll from the Maui wildfires continues to climb, a Houston man who grew up in Lahaina is pleading for help as his family and friends who lost everything attempt to rebuild their lives.
Wildfires in Maui are among the deadliest in US history. These are the other fires atop the list
Read full article: Wildfires in Maui are among the deadliest in US history. These are the other fires atop the listWildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui have killed at least 96 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
Pitch 25 hosting fundraiser to help those affected by wildfires in Maui
Read full article: Pitch 25 hosting fundraiser to help those affected by wildfires in MauiHoustonians are known for giving back to communities who need help after a disaster. Brian Ching owns Pitch 25 in downtown Houston, and he wanted to raise money for those affected by the devastating wildfires in Maui.
As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of loss
Read full article: As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of lossFor scores of families still hoping to reunite with loved ones, it was not yet time to give up, even as Hawaii authorities predict that more remains would be found in the ashes left behind by a wildfire that gutted the once-bustling town of Lahaina.
Adopt a cat from Maui: Cat café sends urgent plea for fosters, adopters amid wildfires
Read full article: Adopt a cat from Maui: Cat café sends urgent plea for fosters, adopters amid wildfiresAs deadly wildfires ravage the island of Maui, one cat cafe is staying open to rescue as many four-legged friends as possible.
New fire prompts evacuation as survivors of Maui's wildfires return after death toll rises to 67
Read full article: New fire prompts evacuation as survivors of Maui's wildfires return after death toll rises to 67Police say a new fire burning on the Hawaii island of Maui on Friday night has triggered evacuations of a community to the northeast of the area that burned earlier this week.
Collin Morikawa has roots in Lahaina. He's pledging $1,000 per birdie for Hawaii fires relief
Read full article: Collin Morikawa has roots in Lahaina. He's pledging $1,000 per birdie for Hawaii fires reliefCollin Morikawa is pledging $1,000 for every birdie he makes the next three PGA Tour events to help with relief for the deadly fires in Hawaii.
How to help or donate in response to the deadly wildfire in Maui
Read full article: How to help or donate in response to the deadly wildfire in MauiMany people are looking for ways to help the response to the deadly wildfires that swept through the Hawaiian island of Maui even as emergency operations continue on Thursday.
DEVASTATING PHOTOS, VIDEOS: Deadly wildfires tear through Maui as thousands try to escape
Read full article: DEVASTATING PHOTOS, VIDEOS: Deadly wildfires tear through Maui as thousands try to escapeThirty-six people are dead thousands have been displaced as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of Maui.
Help is needed in Maui amid devastating wildfires: Here’s how the Houston area can lend a hand
Read full article: Help is needed in Maui amid devastating wildfires: Here’s how the Houston area can lend a handDeadly wildfires burning across Maui have killed at least 36 people and prompted evacuations for residents in the area. Officials described the wildfires as “unprecedented.”
Wildfire devastates Hawaii's Lahaina, historic town and onetime capital of former kingdom
Read full article: Wildfire devastates Hawaii's Lahaina, historic town and onetime capital of former kingdomThe wildfire that has brought sheer devastation to Maui is especially heartbreaking for Hawaii because it struck one of its most historic towns and the onetime capital of the former kingdom.
53 people have died from the Maui wildfires, governor says, and historic Lahaina has burned down
Read full article: 53 people have died from the Maui wildfires, governor says, and historic Lahaina has burned downHawaii Gov. Josh Green says 53 people were killed in the devastating Maui wildfires, and the death toll will likely continue to rise.
Flash drought, invasive grasses, winds, hurricane and climate change fuel Maui's devastating fires
Read full article: Flash drought, invasive grasses, winds, hurricane and climate change fuel Maui's devastating firesA dangerous mix of conditions appear to have combined to make the wildfires blazing a path of destruction in Hawaii particularly damaging, including flash drought, high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.
Couple on Hawaii honeymoon says snorkeling tour group abandoned them in the ocean
Read full article: Couple on Hawaii honeymoon says snorkeling tour group abandoned them in the oceanElizabeth Webster and her husband, Alexander Burckle, said they had to swim about half a mile to shore, according to a federal lawsuit.
A hate crime lays bare Hawaii’s complicated race relations
Read full article: A hate crime lays bare Hawaii’s complicated race relationsTwo Native Hawaiian men have been sentenced to years in prison for a federal hate crime conviction in the brutal beating of a white man who tried to move to a remote, traditional fishing village.
Maui mayor asks airlines for fewer tourists amid travel boom
Read full article: Maui mayor asks airlines for fewer tourists amid travel boomThe Hawaiian island of Maui has become so overrun with tourists in recent months that its mayor is taking the unusual step of pleading with airlines to fly in fewer people.
Familiar place, unfamiliar faces at Kapalua to start year
Read full article: Familiar place, unfamiliar faces at Kapalua to start yearNo one has ever gone more than a year without winning and ended the drought at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Winning is the only way to get to Maui at the start of the year, so Schauffele and 15 other players ordinarily wouldn't be here. “I got an asterisk for winning the Tour Championship that counted in certain things and not in others,” Schauffele said. Horschel said the tour has crunched numbers and in a normal year, it would add eight to 10 players to Kapalua. The tour has contemplated an expanded field over the years, such as giving a two-year exemption to Kapalua for winning a tournament.