Exploring the aftermath of the Maui wildfires and how rebuild efforts are progressing
In the early hours of August 8, 2023, the blaze that became the deadly, record-breaking wildfires that shocked the U.S. broke out in Maui. For eight days, the Lahaina wildfire stayed ablaze causing immense destruction in its wake.
These fires claimed more than 100 lives and burned approximately 6,500 acres of land across Maui. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce the Maui wildfires caused more than $5.5 billion dollars in damages and was one of the most devastating in the U.S. in the last five years.
The Hawaiian northwest coastal town of Lahaina was practically reduced to ashes and suffered a disproportionate number of deaths as a result of these fires that left many residents with nothing.
What Caused the Maui Wildfires to Spread so Fast?
The incredible rapidity with which wildfire spread through Lahaina underscores the importance of disaster preparedness even in areas where natural disasters are not the norm. While Hawaii is no stranger to wildfires, it is not seasonally plagued by these natural disasters like other regions of the U.S., such as California.
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It only takes a spark to ignite a fire, but what caused these Hawaiian fires to spread so incredibly fast was the perfect combination of climatological conditions:
- Low humidity.
- Expanses of non-native grasses surrounding Lahaina.
- Strong, dry winds — which reached 60mph in Lahaina — blowing toward Hurricane Dora, which occurred south of the Hawaiian Islands without making landfall.
- Vulnerable building stock.
Once the fire struck, urban conflagration was inevitable.
Commercial buildings and homes served as fuel for the fire and easy traps for floating embers.
The Status of the Lahaina and Maui Rebuild — 1 Year Later
Restoring Lahaina back to normalcy has involved, and will continue to involve, both clearing damage and rebuilding.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has made considerable progress clearing damage; however, the rebuilding of the structures in Lahaina is progressing slowly.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1,399 homes need rebuilding. As the community pursues rebuilding efforts, county officials have only approved a fraction of the disaster recovery building permits submitted by homeowners or their representatives.
To illustrate the sluggishness of this process, it is worth noting that the first residential property is currently only in the rough-framing phase, which occurs during the early stages of reconstruction. However, there has been progress on other lots with laying utility lines and foundations.
40%
The premium on reconstruction labor in Hawaii when compared with the mainland U.S.
The speed of the Lahaina and Maui rebuild will directly impact the costs of reconstruction.
If a large number of property owners seek to rebuild within a similar timeframe, there is a chance that the Maui construction market may be unable to sustain all the proposed construction projects.
This potential scenario could limit choices, create a bottleneck in the rebuild process, and potentially drive up the cost of construction in an already strained market.
Prices for reconstruction in Maui are already elevated. Due to the need to source labor from the continental U.S. and the need for specialized professionals with experience in wildfire restoration, the cost of reconstruction labor in Hawaii is 40% higher when compared with the mainland. Maui also has limited access to specific items such as roofing materials and dumpster rentals when compared with other islands.
Still, there is reason to be optimistic. From the beginning, there have been powerful advocates calling upon the county, state, and even federal government for resources. For example, U.S. Senator Bryan Schatz, representing the state of Hawaii, has successfully called on the Senate to allocate more federal resources for Lahaina’s rebuild.
With time and resources, there is a possibility of recovery. Just look at the Camp Fire and how the community of Paradise, California has made great strides in rebuilding and recovery.
Lahaina officials can take notes from Paradise’s recovery as they work to rebuild Lahaina.
What We Can Learn From Lahaina
As natural disasters continue to accelerate, insurance companies, communities, and individuals must learn to expect the unexpected. To prepare for the consequences of climate change, both at the individual and the community level, as well as plan for rebuilding amid disasters like the Maui wildfires, there must be strategies in place for resilience.
Insurance companies have the opportunity to build resilience among communities like Lahaina by cultivating a greater understanding of risk and then advocating for resilience by spreading awareness to people through their coverage zones.
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