What Happened Today 9/14/23

Re-openings

The following business zones were re-opened in the Lahaina area yesterday:

Business zones opened 9/13/23

  • 5B – Lahaina Cannery Mall parcel
  • 5E – Business area of Kupuohi and Ulupono streets

Business zones opened 9/5/23

  • 5D – Lahaina Gateway parcel
  • 5H – Walgreens parcel

Source: Maui County’s Maui Recovers website

The county also held a news conference with Maui Emergency Management Agency Interim Administrator Darryl Oliveira to discuss plans to allow residents and business owners reentry into the restricted Lahaina Wildfire Disaster area.

Starting next week, county officials will begin escorting residents to their homes. They will be able to spend the day.

Maui Now has the details of the re-entry plan.

Maui Now live-streamed the presser and it’s posted on its Facebook page.

Congressional Hearings Scheduled

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce committee announced Thursday plans to hold its first public hearing on the Maui wildfires. The hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28. Shelee Kimura, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric will be among the witnesses expected to testify.

Source: Civil Beat

Best Read

Definitely check out Corina Knoll’s piece in yesterday’s New York Times. Her story, What the Wildfire Stole From One Maui Family, chronicles the hell a 7-year-old boy and his family went through trying to escape the flames. It made me cry and is one of the best pieces of journalism to come out of the disaster yet.

Knoll is the Los Angles Bureau Chief for the Times.

Current Stats

Casualties

  • Individuals identified, the family notified: 63
  • Individuals identified, family not located/notified: Nine
  • Total confirmed fatalities: 115

Source: Maui Police Department

Upcountry Fires

Kula

  • 96 percent contained
  • 202 acres burned

Olinda

  • 90 percent contained
  • 1081 acres burned

Water

Effective September 12, 2023, the Department of Water Supply announced that the Unsafe Water