The wildfire that decimated Lahaina, HI caused hardship beyond belief.
- 115 confirmed deaths
- 66 still missing (whittled down from 385 a few weeks ago)
- 2,207 structures damaged or destroyed
- 7,000 people left homeless
In the first few days after the massive wildfire that burned nearly 2,200 acres, tourists avoided Maui. State tourism officials initially urged travelers to stay away from the island so residents and agencies could focus on emergency response efforts and supporting those displaced by the fires. Airlines, which had initially increased flights to and from the island to help bring in more supplies and help people evacuate, started to decrease the number of flights per day.
The number of visitors arriving on Maui decreased by roughly 70% after the Aug. 8 fire, down to 2,000 a day. Airlines began offering steep discounts on flights to Hawaii, and some resorts slashed room rates by 20% or are offering a fifth night free, to help entice visitors.
In the weeks that followed, the word became more clear. The island, which relied so much on tourism, wanted tourists to come back and enjoy Maui. They just didn’t want them to go to west Maui, especially the burn zone.
And now, times are changing again.
Most of West Maui will officially reopen to travelers on Oct. 8. This is under a new wildfire emergency proclamation signed on Friday, August 8th, by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, M.D.
On August 7th, Green told a meeting of the state Council on Revenues that he expected authorities to reopen most of West Maui to travelers in October. The beach resorts and areas north of historic Lahaina, which have 11,000 hotel rooms (half Maui’s total) would all be open again. So West Maui communities of Kā’anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua will fully reopen on Sunday, October 8. The only areas that would remain closed would be the fire-damaged neighborhoods.
Out of respect to the town’s residents, all of Lahaina will remain fully closed to the public until further notice. County, state, and federal emergency responders are continuing with their efforts to identify victims and the missing, and conduct clean-up efforts of debris and hazardous materials resulting from the wildfires.
Governor Green stated, “Beginning October 8, all travel restrictions will end and West Maui will be open to visitors again, so people from Hawaiʻi and around the world can resume travel to this special place and help it begin to recover economically. This difficult decision is meant to bring hope for recovery to the families and businesses on Maui that have been so deeply affected in every way by the disaster.”
“No one in Hawai’i will ever forget the tragedy that our friends, families, loved ones, and colleagues in Lahaina are enduring,” said Daniel Nāho’opi’i, Chief Administrative Officer of the Hawai’i Tourism Authority. “The response from residents statewide and by people around the world to support Maui’s recovery has been incredible and inspiring. Now is the time for people everywhere to show their support for Maui by booking trips, making restaurant reservations, and frequenting Maui’s retail stores and attractions that support workers and their families.”
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