Maui Wildfires 2023

Aug 11, 2023

The week of August 7, 2023: A combination of dry acreage, a climate change phenomenon called “Flash Drought” combined with crazy winds adjacent to Hurricane Dora, resulted in the deadliest wildfires ever to strike Hawaii. Three areas on Maui were affected: Upcountry, parts of Kihei, and the most devastating, Lahaina town and surrounding residential neighborhood.  What you see from the news… the town of Lahaina is incinerated. Charred palm trees were reduced to slender matchsticks protruding into the smoky sky. Homes are ash. Streets are deserted and littered with melted vehicles. But the real tragedy is the staggering numbers of loss of life, homes, and livelihoods represented by the more than 1000 structures that are now mere ash.

HiSBDC, Maui Center will be helping in recovery efforts; a role as a local navigator to help individuals and businesses find and utilize relief and assistance from the myriad of agencies. The Red Cross and numerous local groups are already in action and recently the requisite declarations have authorized both FEMA and the SBA to provide financial assistance and life-resuming recovery strategies.

You can help.

Maui Strong Fund
Created by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) to provide resources for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, the Maui Strong Fund is currently being used to help aid communities affected by the Maui Wildfires. You can donate online at the website or send a check to Hawai‘i Community Foundation, 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813. Make checks payable to “Hawai‘i Community Foundation”. Donate online

Hawaiian Way Fund 
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) is partnering with Kamehameha Schools, Alakaʻina Foundation Family of Companies, and Kākoʻo ʻo Haleakala to match up to $1,000,000 in community donations for ʻohana impacted by the devastating wildfires on Maui. Your generosity will not only help them rebuild but also show the strength of our unity and aloha spirit. Proceeds will go to Maui organizations to support relief efforts. Donate online

www.MauiNuiStrong.info  
Compiled and organized by the Maui County Office of Economic Development, newly launched (updated daily) is a directory of Maui Wildfire Relief Online Resources for both those that have assistance to offer as well as Assistance sources. www.MauiNuiStrong.info

Initial Actions:  some things to keep in mind and prepare for if your business has been impacted.

  1. Keep a log/diary to document everything with dates, including calls, and collect receipts for any expenses incurred during this period.
  2. Gather all your basic records and registrations. You’ll need the most recent tax returns, State issued ID, etc. Provide updated contact information to your contacts, people you do business with, credit card companies, your bank, employees, vendors, suppliers, etc.
  3. Reach out to your insurance agent/company to report your loss. (…Is prerequisite for FEMA/SBA assistance)
  4. If you lease the space, contact the building owner or property manager.
  5. If you have any loans, notify lenders about this hardship.

Disaster Assistance  (click here for Disaster Recovery Resources page)

First, reach out to FEMA which deals more with individual and households assistance and is a grant. Depending on your annual income,  FEMA may then refer you to the SBA Disaster or they may be able to process assistance (after the Insurance claim has been filed).

To register for FEMA Assistance, you may call 1-800-621-3362 OR Visit disasterassistance.gov, enter “Maui” in the search box, then it will redirect you to a page showing Maui County as a declared county. It may take a few seconds for this page to load. There will be a button that says “Apply Now“.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has Disaster LOANS for Maui small businesses and nonprofits, as well as homeowners and renters, to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, other business assets, and to prepare for future disasters.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available for small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture enterprises, and most nonprofits in the Maui and Kalawao counties. EIDL funding is for those that have suffered economic losses caused by the wildfires, and can be used for working capital needs through the recovery period.

Click on these links to view or download more information on loan eligibility, required documents, and instructions.

• SBA.gov Disaster Assistance Information website [ https://sba.gov/disaster ]

• SBA Latest Hawaii Disaster Fact Sheet  [HI_18061_Fact_Sheet_Presidential (HQ 9.5.2024)]

Check with your insurance agent before applying. SBA Disaster Recovery assistance is to cover relief/recovery beyond the applicant’s financial resources (what insurance does not cover).

WAYS TO APPLY FOR SBA DISASTER LOANS

• Apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://lending.sba.gov

• Apply in person at the SBA Business Disaster Recovery Center in Kihei and receive personal, one-on-one help from an SBA representative.

  • SBA Business Recovery Center in Kihei, Maui
    Maui Research Technology Center
    Building # A, Ste. 119 (Conference Room)
    590 Lipoa Pkwy., Kihei, HI 96753
    Open, Hours: Mondays – Fridays, 8 AM – 5 PM (Hawaii time)
The SBA also has other recovery centers in Hawaii, including:
  • Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
    Located at 70 E Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, HI 96732, and open Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM (Hawaii time)
  • Maui Office of Recovery -West
    Located at Lahaina Gateway, Unit 102-B, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina, HI 96761, and open Mon–Fri, 8 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30 PM–4:30 PM (Hawaii time)

SBA Disaster Customer Service Contact Information
You can call SBA Disaster Customer Service at (800) 659-2955,
Mon-Fri, 8 AM-8 PM (ET)  [2 AM-2 PM (Hawaii Time)]
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services…  or email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Confused by it all?  Contact us (Maui SBDC) at 808-875-5990  or  library@hisbdc.org.