Framework in place to manage ‘Firefighter Syndrome’
LIHU‘E — While the horrifying images of destruction following the fires in West Maui on Aug. 8 are seared into the minds of many, few have been as directly affected as the firefighters who battled the deadly inferno.
Researchers revive frozen corals in conservation breakthrough
In a first for conservation science, a team of marine biologists has successfully frozen and revived coral fragments — a seismic breakthrough for the fight to save Earth’s reefs from climate change-inflicted devastation.
Childhood expert writes story for Maui children affected by wildfires
With thousands displaced, at least 115 people dead and much of West Maui razed, the images of devastation and the anguish of survivors are not easy for anyone in Hawai‘i to process.
Emergency ag loan program authorized for farmers affected by Maui, Hawai‘i Island wildfires
The Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture voted this week to immediately activate a $5 million emergency agricultural loan program, allowing farmers and ranchers on Maui and Hawai‘i Island to receive assistance following this month’s wildfires that killed at least 115 people and caused an estimated $6 billion in damages.
UH Manoa faculty makes deep-sea coral discovery off Hawai‘i coast
LIHU‘E — In a first for oceanography, a new University of Hawai‘i at Manoa faculty-led study cataloged the growth of Hawai‘i’s deepest coral reefs, granting scientists new insight on a keystone of the ocean’s ecosystems.
Hawai‘i DOT to use federal funds for dust fence that will encircle Lahaina
LAHAINA, Hawai‘i — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday its Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) would immediately make available $3 million for the recovery of West Maui infrastructure and traffic management, as state and federal officials begin the slow process of assessing and rebuilding the flame-swept region.
Lead, asbestos among health concerns for survivors of Maui fires
LAHAINA, Hawai‘i — After wildfires on Maui killed at least 111 people last week with only approximately 58 percent of historic Lahaina town searched, state officials worry longer-term health impacts could linger for those who survived the flames.
Rep. Jill Tokuda urges action in Maui following wildfires
LIHU‘E — Rep. Jill Tokuda spoke with The Garden Island on Thursday to discuss the disastrous wildfires in West Maui that claimed at least 111 lives and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.
Lessons to lunches — UH Maui College transforms kitchens into food relief centers
With thousands displaced across West Maui following the fire last week that killed at least 110 people and damaged thousands of homes, the University of Hawai‘i Maui College has transformed its kitchens into food preparation centers, providing thousands of meals for those impacted by the blaze.
Coast Guard begins offshore Lahaina cleanup in effort to save nearby coral reefs
LAHAINA — More than a week after the nation’s deadliest wildfire in over a century burned across West Maui, the U.S. Coast Guard has begun shifting its response focus from search and rescue to minimizing impacts on the region’s marine environment.
DBEDT: $439M in Lahaina home damages, economy losing $8.5M daily
LAHAINA — As West Maui grapples with the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over 100 years, state economic officials are estimating staggering financial losses to the island, its residents and the state at large — including nearly half a billion dollars in home damages alone.
Short-staffed The Kaua‘i Bus to halt Sunday service
The wheels on the bus are taking a day off.
Students, conservationists celebrate first-ever Hawaiian Honeycreeper Day
LIHU‘E — Tuesday marked Hawai‘i’s first-ever Hawaiian Honeycreeper Celebration Day, a statewide holiday in honor of Hawai‘i’s forest birds and the long history of cultural practices surrounding them.
Biden declares federal disaster on Maui, Hawai‘i Island
LIHU‘E — President Joe Biden approved on Thursday morning Governor Josh Green’s request for a federal disaster declaration in Hawai‘i, ordering federal aid to assist recovery efforts on Maui and opening funds to individuals affected by the recent wildfires that have killed at least 53 people
Keeping Kaua‘i fire-free — wildfire expert urges residents take fire precautions
LIHU‘E — As the deadliest wildfires in Hawai‘i’s recorded history ravage Maui and Hawai‘i Island, the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is urging Kaua‘i residents to prepare now to protect the Garden Isle from the threat of inferno.
UH makes undersea volcano discovery off Hawai‘i coast
LIHUE — Scientists at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa have successfully mapped out the past eruptions of Kama‘ehuakanaloa (formerly known as Lo‘ihi Seamount), an undersea Hawaiian volcano approximately 20 miles off Hawai‘i Island’s southern coast.
Yearslong Waipa restoration project reaches end
HANALEI — After nearly a decade of work, environmental nonprofit Waipa Foundation is wrapping up its Waipa Stream Restoration Project, a multifaceted effort to restore its namesake ahapua‘a’s natural resources and promote agricultural land use.
Hawai‘i Pacific University receives $50,000 for leptospirosis research
HONOLULU — Hawai‘i Pacific University has received a $50,000 grant to research the growth of bacterial disease leptospirosis in Hawai‘i wetlands in an effort to protect the state’s most at-risk populations from the potentially fatal disease.
Expedition to explore nearby ancient seamounts underway
They may not be 20,000 leagues under the sea, but the waters surrounding Johnston Atoll are full of mystery all the same.
UH astronomer suggests tethering sun ‘umbrella’ to asteroid to mitigate climate change
As United Nations officials warn that “the era of global boiling has arrived” after noting July 2023 will likely be the hottest month ever recorded, one University of Hawai‘i at Manoa astronomer has suggested a concept for mitigation straight out of a science fiction novel — blotting out part of the sun’s rays by sending a “sun umbrella” into the atmosphere.