Maui County Council

The last year in Maui County marked the deadliest fire in modern U.S. history, and Mayor Richard Bissen described the state of the county as "heartbroken" in his annual address. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports from Maui Nui.

The West Maui wildfires destroyed more than 2,000 homes and more than 800 businesses. Hawaiʻi lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would create an entity to oversee recovery efforts in West Maui.

A firefighter from Molokaʻi has been honored for his heroism during the Lahaina wildfire. On Aug. 8, nine firefighters were trapped in the inferno. With no way out, they sheltered inside a fire engine, sharing oxygen from air tanks. Tanner Mosher jumped into a nearby fire vehicle and attempted to clear a path for their escape. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more.

A state Department of Human Services program to housing families who have been displaced by the Maui fires but don’t qualify for federal assistance; a Filipino family searching for a home yet again after Lahaina fire; and the declining population and song of the Hawaiian honeycreeper ʻAkiapōlāʻau.

After hearing more than five hours of testimony, the Maui County Council voted in favor of a bill that encourages vacation unit owners to rent to fire victims on a long-term basis. Mayor Richard Bissen said those who participate would receive a 100% real property tax exemption. A second reading of the bill is scheduled for Dec. 15. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports.

The Maui County Council is moving Bill 138 to create the commission, focusing on reducing the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing its benefits. Under the proposed bill's current language, its responsibilities would mostly involve making policy recommendations.

The Maui County Council is considering new water rates for customers affected by disasters, including the August fires on Maui. The proposed legislation would create lower rates for residents whose homes were destroyed and for those in areas affected by an unsafe water advisory. HPR's Mark Ladao has more.

The Maui County Council has suggested a budget of more than $20 million for the County of Maui’s newly established Office of Recovery. The office was established in September to address the county’s immediate and long-term recovery and prevention needs after the devastating fires on the island, including the fatal Lāhainā fire.

More care providers and experts are calling for better safety measures against toxins that could be in the ash following the August wildfires on Maui.

Maui County’s Department of Water Supply has proposed three types of billing categories for customers affected by the island’s August wildfires.