Satellite images show Maui recovering, a year after deadly wildfires
New satellite images show the scale of damage almost one year after deadly wildfires ripped through the historic West Maui town Lahaina — but also show signs of a community gradually recovering.
The wildfires on Aug. 8, 2023, were the worst natural disaster in Hawaii's history, destroying more than 3,900 properties and killing more than 100 people, according to Hawaii officials. Local, state and federal agencies have been working to help Maui residents tackle the arduous process of rebuilding.
A CBS News analysis of satellite imagery shows signs of recovery but widespread damage remains. The imagery shows cleared lots as debris removal progresses, greenery returning and construction of new temporary housing sites for displaced residents.
Satellite images from April and August show debris removal in Lahaina. These newer satellite images show cleared lots and visibly less ash and dust coating the town.
Satellite imagery from April 18, shows greenery coming back in parts of Lahaina – including around the 151-year-old banyan tree that survived the fires.
The first truck full of residential debris left Lahaina in January and headed toward a temporary debris storage site in West Maui, according to Col. Eric Swenson, recovery field office commander with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Since then, 98% of debris from residential properties has been cleared.
The debris removal process gets residents one step closer to obtaining the crucial permits needed to rebuild their homes.
Around 12,000 Maui residents were displaced by the wildfires, according to Hawaii officials. Thousands of people who lost their homes were put into short-term hotels through a Red Cross program, but more long-term options were needed, Maui County officials said.
"One of the big challenges is that West Maui in particular is a very close-knit community," Swenson said. "And many of the residents here – this is where they grew up, this is where their services are, their doctors, their friends, their family. Many of them want to get back into their old lives here in West Maui."
Satellite imagery shows ongoing construction of two new temporary housing projects in West Maui: the 169-unit Kilohana site and the 450-unit Ka Laʻi Ola site.
Kilohana, which is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Hawaii, is slated for completion in late October, according to the Corps. Ka Laʻi Ola is being built by the state and is adjacent to Kilohana. The first residents are expected to move into Ka Laʻi Ola this month, according to Maui County.
Swenson said he expects the construction to continue — although the process will have its challenges. Hawaii officials said the tourism-dependent island has taken a massive financial hit following the fires. Swenson said the urgent housing needs could outpace the number of available contractors.
But he said he thinks the rebuilding efforts are creating a "sense of hope and encouragement."
"Whenever we get a lot cleared and I meet the resident out there, the dynamic has changed," Swenson said. "The sorrow, the hopelessness, sometimes it fades away. And what they see on that vacant lot is, they see an opportunity. They see their future in front of them."
