Fearing economic disaster, Maui wants tourists to return. But feelings are complicated
1 year, 3 months ago

Fearing economic disaster, Maui wants tourists to return. But feelings are complicated

LA Times  

The line at Paia Fish Market usually extends so far down the main drag that staffers can’t see the end of it through their front window. “Today is the lowest it’s been so far,” said Lehua Jimenez, 21, a cashier at the popular restaurant in Paia — a windsurfing destination on Maui’s North Shore. Trisha Kehaulani Watson, ‘Āina Momona’s co-founder, said the organization absolutely stood by its first message as the right response “in the immediate aftermath” of the fire, when people were still trying to gauge the devastation. By Aug. 12 — with the death toll climbing and more than 1,000 people still missing on the island — rooms had begun emptying and CoStar estimated Maui’s overall hotel occupancy at 57%. “I don’t even know what the right thing is because the island needs time to heal at the same time that the economy needs to keep going.” Native Hawaiian roofer Jeremy Delosreyes, who lost his home in the fire, resents the focus on the economic effects of fewer visitors when people have experienced such profound losses.

Tourism Economic West State Island Visitors Hawaiian Maui Hawaii Tourists Other Parts Far Tian Lahaina Native Hawaiian Jimenez Paia Costar West Maui Tokioka Horcajo Kahului Airport Hakan Kihei  disaster  mauis  maui  economic  wants  state  complicated  tourism  fearing  tourists  west  island  visitors  feelings  far  return  lahaina

History of this topic

PHOTO GALLERY: A look at Lahaina in the 6 months since a wildfire destroyed the Maui town
10 months, 2 weeks ago

PHOTO GALLERY: A look at Lahaina in the 6 months since a wildfire destroyed the Maui town

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — It’s been six months since a wildfire leveled most of Lahaina, a centuries-old town on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Photos of victims are displayed under white crosses at a memorial for victims of the August 2023 wildfire, above the Lahaina Bypass highway, Dec. 6, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Josh Green is pushing owners of Maui’s many …

Maui’s economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Maui’s economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — The restaurant where Katie Austin was a server burned in the wildfire that devastated Hawaii’s historic town of Lahaina this summer. “It was soul-sucking.” Hawaii’s governor and mayor invited tourists back to the west side of Maui months after the Aug. 8 fire killed at least 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings. Last week, hundreds …

Maui’s economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Maui’s economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?

LA Times  

Tourists get off of a Trilogy Excursions boat arriving on Kaanapali Beach in front of a flag of Hawaii planted in the sand Dec. 6 in Lahaina, Hawaii. Hawaii’s governor and mayor invited tourists back to the west side of Maui months after the Aug. 8 fire killed at least 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings. Last week, …

Mayor says West Maui to reopen to tourism on Nov. 1 after fire and workers are ready to return
1 year, 2 months ago

Mayor says West Maui to reopen to tourism on Nov. 1 after fire and workers are ready to return

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — All of West Maui except for burned-out sections of historic Lahaina will reopen to tourism on Nov. 1 following the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than century, the mayor of Maui County said Monday. Josh Green last month declared West Maui would officially reopen to tourism on Oct. 8 to bring back badly needed jobs and help the …

‘Fresh out of aloha.’ As tourists return to West Maui, some Hawaiians rethink the aloha spirit
1 year, 2 months ago

‘Fresh out of aloha.’ As tourists return to West Maui, some Hawaiians rethink the aloha spirit

LA Times  

Paele Kiakona is not ready to go back to work. My whole town died.” The 28-year-old Hawaii native who worked as a bartender at a farm-to-table restaurant north of Lahaina is wary of fielding questions, including what he says is now the ultimate dreaded icebreaker: “Did you lose your house in the fire?” In this moment, he said, visitors aren’t …

Tourism resumes in West Maui near Lahaina as hotels and timeshare properties welcome visitors
1 year, 2 months ago

Tourism resumes in West Maui near Lahaina as hotels and timeshare properties welcome visitors

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — 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. Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said her organization’s surveys indicated the number …

Authorities in Maui will open more of the burn zone to visits by residents next week
1 year, 2 months ago

Authorities in Maui will open more of the burn zone to visits by residents next week

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Authorities in Maui are opening more of the burn zone from last month’s devastating wildfire for visits by residents and property owners who lost homes. Early this week, officials began permitting those who lived in a small section in the north end of Lahaina to return for the first time since the Aug. 8 wildfire demolished the …

Maui to welcome back tourists next month under a new wildfire emergency rule
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui to welcome back tourists next month under a new wildfire emergency rule

Hindustan Times  

Most of West Maui will officially reopen to travellers Oct. 8 under a new wildfire emergency proclamation signed on Friday by Hawaii Gov. Maui to welcome back tourists next month under a new wildfire emergency rule Nonessential travel to much of the island's western coastline has been strongly discouraged since devastating wildfires killed at least 115 people in the historic …

Maui in Hawaii beckons tourists to stave off economic disaster after wildfires
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui in Hawaii beckons tourists to stave off economic disaster after wildfires

Hindustan Times  

Richie Olsten has been in Maui's helicopter tour business for a half century, so long he's developed a barometer for the tourism-dependent economy: rental cars parked at the island's airport. Hannemann called the situation “pretty grim.” One of Maui's most venerable restaurants, Hali'imaile General Store, laid off about 30 workers and temporarily closed after business shrank to one-tenth of pre-fire …

Maui beckons tourists, and their dollars, to stave off economic disaster after wildfires
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui beckons tourists, and their dollars, to stave off economic disaster after wildfires

Associated Press  

KAHULUI, Hawaii — Richie Olsten has been in Maui’s helicopter tour business for a half century, so long he’s developed a barometer for the tourism-dependent economy: rental cars parked at the island’s airport. Hannemann called the situation “pretty grim.” One of Maui’s most venerable restaurants, Hali’imaile General Store, laid off about 30 workers and temporarily closed after business shrank to …

Maui residents consider the unthinkable: Las Vegas, the ‘ninth island’
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui residents consider the unthinkable: Las Vegas, the ‘ninth island’

LA Times  

Thousands of homes were lost in the fire that destroyed the town of Lahaina on Maui. A lifelong inhabitant of the islands who is of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander heritage, she knows no home but Hawaii and feels close to “the aloha of the community that you can’t find anywhere else.” But she’s afraid that the tourism that sustains …

Should you visit Maui right now? What locals want from tourists as the island rebuilds
1 year, 3 months ago

Should you visit Maui right now? What locals want from tourists as the island rebuilds

LA Times  

A couple walks along the beach in Kihei, Hawaii, just over a week after wildfires hit West Maui. Don’t “rubberneck” around the affected communities, said Kainoa Horcajo, a cultural consultant and organizer with mutual aid organization Maui Rapid Response. Everyone is emotional and hurt.” Patronize small businesses and tip well “Support the economy by shopping at local stores, restaurants, food …

Maui wildfires map : Where are the fires in Hawaii?
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui wildfires map : Where are the fires in Hawaii?

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Smoke and flames rise in Lahaina, …

As Hawaiians Cope With Disaster, Tourists Couldn't Care Less
1 year, 4 months ago

As Hawaiians Cope With Disaster, Tourists Couldn't Care Less

Huff Post  

The Maui wildfires have been some of the deadliest in U.S. history: As of Wednesday, at least 106 people have been confirmed dead, per CNN. That hasn’t stopped some tourists on the island from acting like nothing has happened at all — and their behavior exposes a horrible pattern among some American and European tourists who completely disregard communities of …

Maui County tells tourists to come back — just stay out of the burn zone
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui County tells tourists to come back — just stay out of the burn zone

NPR  

Maui County tells tourists to come back — just stay out of the burn zone The devastating wildfires on Maui have tourists wondering whether they should cancel their vacations. A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: There's mounting evidence that downed power lines may have played at least some role in the deadly wildfires on Maui. NPR's Jason DeRose joins us now from Maui …

In the ruins of Lahaina, a surfing legend leads a volunteer army to get supplies to survivors
1 year, 4 months ago

In the ruins of Lahaina, a surfing legend leads a volunteer army to get supplies to survivors

LA Times  

Archie Kalepa has spent his life in the ocean. While public officials come under scrutiny for their failure to prepare for this disaster and a faltering response to what’s become the nation’s deadliest wildfire in the last century, close-knit networks of Indigenous Hawaiians, like Kalepa’s, are mounting efforts to ferry supplies and people with needed expertise past the government roadblocks …

Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor says
1 year, 4 months ago

Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor says

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — A mobile morgue unit arrived Tuesday to help Hawaii officials working painstakingly to identify the remains of people killed in wildfires that ravaged Maui, as the death rose above 100 and teams intensified the search for more dead in neighborhoods reduced to ash. Josh Green announced the confirmed death toll had risen from 99 to 101 in …

“It looked like Armageddon”: Maui wildfire survivors describe their experience fleeing destruction
1 year, 4 months ago

“It looked like Armageddon”: Maui wildfire survivors describe their experience fleeing destruction

Salon  

Rebecca Johnson and her roommates were sleeping when the wildfires erupted in Maui. Driving south along the coast, they made their way to the east side of the island, watching as flames leapt across the landscape in what looked like a "fire tornado," she said. "I kept looking at the stars, praying I could still see them," Johnson said. We …

Maui wildfire survivors decry lack of warnings as death toll rises
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui wildfire survivors decry lack of warnings as death toll rises

Al Jazeera  

Some residents refuse to vacate towns burned down to the ground, citing fear that they will not be able to return. “We are really focused, as far as I’m concerned, on the need for rescue, and, sadly, the location of more bodies.” The Lahaina safety zone has been updated from the northernmost boundary at Wahikuli Wayside Park to the southernmost …

Maui fire survivor from New York narrates daring escape from the ‘horrible disaster’
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui fire survivor from New York narrates daring escape from the ‘horrible disaster’

Hindustan Times  

The wildfires in the Maui county of Hawaii, have wreaked havoc in the lives of thousands of people. A view of flames as wildfires engulfed the historic town of Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, Queens native Pam Reader recalled the horrific experience of racing away from the flames which closed in on her home in the Shark Pit neighborhood of Lahaina town …

Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years
1 year, 4 months ago

Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — A raging wildfire that swept through a picturesque town on the Hawaiian island of Maui this week has killed at least 89 people, authorities said Saturday, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire of the past century. The inferno that swept through the centuries-old town of Lahaina on Maui’s west coast four days earlier torched hundreds of homes …

Maui fires knocked out phones, cutting off ability of local ‘coconut wireless’ neighbour network to warn of dangers
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui fires knocked out phones, cutting off ability of local ‘coconut wireless’ neighbour network to warn of dangers

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Earlier this week, rapidly moving wildfires knocked out phone service on Maui, preventing the usual …

Death toll rises to 89 in Maui fires as searches through destroyed town continue
1 year, 4 months ago

Death toll rises to 89 in Maui fires as searches through destroyed town continue

CNN  

CNN — The death toll in the Maui wildfire keeps mounting as search teams and their cadaver dogs continue the grim work of sifting through the ruins of burned buildings that once made up vibrant communities on island – including the picturesque town of Lahaina. Of the three largest wildfires that crews have been combating, the deadly fire in Lahaina …

Maui death toll surpasses Paradise; deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui death toll surpasses Paradise; deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century

LA Times  

A Mercy Worldwide volunteer makes a damage assessment of a charred apartment complex in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina. A friend he knew since they “were little kids” died in her car with her son, Rosenthal said, adding after a long pause, “and her parents.” The devastation in Maui has reached a breathtaking scale, with officials confirming Saturday …

Why the Maui Fire Is So Shocking
54 years, 11 months ago

Why the Maui Fire Is So Shocking

Slate  

As wildfires have devastated the western United States in recent years, casual observers have become familiar with a new term: “wildland urban interface,” or the transition zone between human settlement and unoccupied land. After studying three California cities devastated by wildfires, Santa Rosa, Ventura, and Paradise, researchers concluded that “state and local land use policies, coupled with the state’s housing …

Maui fires in pics: Aerial photos show extent of destruction caused by Hawaii wildfires
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui fires in pics: Aerial photos show extent of destruction caused by Hawaii wildfires

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery An aerial image taken on 10 August 2023 shows destroyed buildings on the waterfront burned …

New fire prompts evacuation as survivors of Maui’s wildfires return after death toll rises to 67
1 year, 4 months ago

New fire prompts evacuation as survivors of Maui’s wildfires return after death toll rises to 67

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — A new fire burning on the Hawaii island of Maui on Friday night triggered the evacuation of a community to the northeast of the area that burned earlier this week, police said. “It was like a war zone.” The wildfires are the state’s deadliest natural disaster in decades, surpassing a 1960 tsunami that killed 61 people. Maui …

Maui wildfire kills 53, people jump into ocean; historic Lahaina burnt down
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui wildfire kills 53, people jump into ocean; historic Lahaina burnt down

India Today  

The death toll from Maui's wildfires rose to 53 on Thursday as the fast-moving conflagration that turned the resort town of Lahaina into smoldering ruins was 80% contained, officials said. The death toll rose by 17 on Thursday to reach 53, Maui County said in a statement that also reported the Lahaina fire was 80% contained, as firefighters secured the …

What caused the wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, that killed 36 people and destroyed Lahaina?
1 year, 4 months ago

What caused the wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, that killed 36 people and destroyed Lahaina?

Hindustan Times  

A series of devastating fires on the picturesque island of Maui has left a community reeling, prompting experts to raise concerns about the role of human activities in the unfolding tragedy. Thousands of residents raced to escape homes on Maui as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in …

At least 53 killed as fires burn through Maui, Hawaii; thousands race to escape
1 year, 4 months ago

At least 53 killed as fires burn through Maui, Hawaii; thousands race to escape

The Hindu  

Thousands of Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town and killing at least 53 people in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years. “We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on August 9, still unsure if anything was left of their …

Hawaii to thousands of tourists fleeing Maui wildfires: ‘The rest of the state is open’
1 year, 4 months ago

Hawaii to thousands of tourists fleeing Maui wildfires: ‘The rest of the state is open’

Raw Story  

Power outages left Maui visitors with little information on where they would be headed once they left the island. So it was like, we probably better leave.” Moore and his family were among thousands of tourists fleeing the Valley Isle amid wildfires that devastated neighborhoods and killed at least 36 people. Tokioka said rooms are available on Kauai and the …

At least six dead as wildfire razes Hawaiian town, Biden sends military to control situation
1 year, 4 months ago

At least six dead as wildfire razes Hawaiian town, Biden sends military to control situation

Firstpost  

At least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, officials said Wednesday, with desperate residents jumping into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames Officials on Wednesday said that at least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, with desperate residents jumping into …

The wildfires scorching Maui have killed at least 53 people and reduced communities to ashes
1 year, 4 months ago

The wildfires scorching Maui have killed at least 53 people and reduced communities to ashes

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Find Friday’s Maui wildfires story here. The “older neighborhood” of Lahaina, an economic hub in western Maui that drew millions of tourists each year, is destroyed, Maui County Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr. said in a Thursday afternoon news conference. Live updates: Deadly wildfires burn across Maui Here’s the latest • Billions of dollars in losses: While it’s …

Hawaii wildfires burn Maui to the ground, 36 dead, over 270 structures damaged
1 year, 4 months ago

Hawaii wildfires burn Maui to the ground, 36 dead, over 270 structures damaged

India Today  

A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in darkness on Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. Flyovers of the coastal town of Lahaina by U.S. Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department showed the extent of the loss, said …

Deadly wildfires devastate Hawaii’s Maui island
1 year, 4 months ago

Deadly wildfires devastate Hawaii’s Maui island

Al Jazeera  

Wildfires fanned by winds have killed at least 36 people and devastated much of the resort city Lahaina on Hawaii’s Maui island on Wednesday, forcing thousands to evacuate as some fled into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames. Though at least 16 roads were closed, the Maui airport was operating fully and airlines were dropping fares and offering …

Dozens killed as wildfires ravage Hawaii island of Maui
1 year, 4 months ago

Dozens killed as wildfires ravage Hawaii island of Maui

Al Jazeera  

Several thousand residents escape homes as wind-fuelled flames swept across the Maui island resort town of Lahaina. As many as 53 people have been killed and several thousand were forced to flee as wind-fuelled wildfires devastated much of the resort town of Lahaina on Hawaii’s Maui island, in what residents described as an “apocalypse”. “As the firefighting efforts continue, 36 …

‘It’s gone forever’: Wildfires ravage town at heart of Hawaiian culture
1 year, 4 months ago

‘It’s gone forever’: Wildfires ravage town at heart of Hawaiian culture

Al Jazeera  

Large parts of Lahania, the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, have been left in ashes as the Maui fires burn. “It’s just hard to register, even right now, what the full impact of this is going to be.” Imada said his ancestral ties to Lahaina go back generations. “Everything that I remember the place to be is not …

Hawaii wildfires kill 36 people as strong winds from passing hurricane rages flames
1 year, 4 months ago

Hawaii wildfires kill 36 people as strong winds from passing hurricane rages flames

India TV News  

At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website on Wednesday evening. Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once-busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic …

Hawaii's governor is rushing home from travel as Maui wildfires rage. Follow along for live updates
1 year, 4 months ago

Hawaii's governor is rushing home from travel as Maui wildfires rage. Follow along for live updates

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

Wildfire on Maui kills at least 6, damages over 270 structures as it sweeps through historic town
1 year, 4 months ago

Wildfire on Maui kills at least 6, damages over 270 structures as it sweeps through historic town

Associated Press  

KAHULUI, Hawaii — A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an …

‘Like something out of a horror movie’: At least 6 dead and communities decimated in Maui wildfires
1 year, 4 months ago

‘Like something out of a horror movie’: At least 6 dead and communities decimated in Maui wildfires

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Find Thursday’s Maui wildfires story here and live coverage here. “Local people have lost everything,” said James Kunane Tokioka, the state’s business, economic development and tourism director, at the news conference. “They’ve lost their house, they’ve lost their animals and it’s devastating.” Scores of structures on Maui have been burned to the ground, the mayor said. It was, …

‘A scar on the face of Maui’: Lahaina is gutted; fatalities expected to multiply
1 year, 4 months ago

‘A scar on the face of Maui’: Lahaina is gutted; fatalities expected to multiply

LA Times  

At least 53 people have died, dozens have been injured and hundreds of structures have been destroyed as fires have torn through Maui this week, forcing thousands to flee their homes and reducing much of the historic town of Lahaina to ash. Maui County officials said Thursday afternoon that at least 53 had died in the Lahaina fire, and the …

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