Maui is still recovering from the devastating wildfires: Here’s why you should go and how to help

It’s been a year and a half since devastating fires raged through parts of Maui and killed more than 100 people.

During a recent visit, I saw that there has been some progress in cleaning up fire debris in Lahaina, but construction still appears to be a ways off. Indeed, according to a recent press report in City Journal, only six homes have been rebuilt so far.

In better news, the Maui County and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently reported that the last bit of debris has been cleared from commercial lots in Lahaina.

“The completion of debris removal from Lahaina’s commercial properties marks another critical milestone in our community’s recovery,” Mayor Richard Bissen said in a statement. “This milestone not only paves the way for rebuilding businesses but also restores hope for owners, workers and families who depend on them. We remain committed to supporting our residents as we rebuild Lahaina together.”

And while much of Lahaina remains off limits to tourism, the rest of Maui is open for business. Maui is still struggling to recover financially from the fires. Nearly 40% of Maui’s gross domestic product is dependent on tourism, and locals want tourists to return.

Here are a few ways to give back if you are planning a trip to Maui (and why you might want to consider booking a trip).

Take advantage of the timing

It’s actually a great time to visit Maui because it’s less crowded these days. The number of visitors in 2024 was down about 23% from 2019 levels. That means you’ll have a more relaxed, less crowded stay.

It’s also a bit cheaper right now.

I regularly see flight deals to and from the mainland for less than $300 from cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. You can sometimes find flights under $500 from as far as New York City.

Plus, one of our favorite Maui hotels just dropped a category in the World of Hyatt program: The Hyatt Regency Maui is now bookable for just 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

There are plentiful deals using points and miles to travel to Maui (and Hawaii as a whole).

Look for local talent at Maui hotels

Hotels in Maui are really going out of their way to aid recovery efforts and help locals. That’s been true from the beginning, with many hotels (especially around Kaanapali) actually housing displaced residents. While hotels like the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows are still housing a few wildfire survivors, most of the hotel rooms have been turned back over to tourists. They are hiring local musicians to perform for guests in nightly shows and performances. You can show your love of Maui by seeing local talent perform at many hotels and resorts across the island.

Fairmont Kea Lani also hosts local musicians at their restaurants, Ko and Pilina.

The hotel has teamed up with Treecovery Hawaii to plant trees and save burned plants in the wildfire-impacted areas of Maui and Kula.

“As an official Treecovery grow hub, the resort is offering temporary sanctuary to hundreds of potted trees, including an air layer from the historic Lahaina Banyan Tree, which was damaged during the August 2023 wildfire,” according to a statement from the Fairmont.

Finally, the Fairmont Kea Lani also opened a cultural center in the resort lobby featuring Hawaiian artifacts — a critically important measure since so many historic treasures burned in the fires.

Many hotels in Maui are offering ways to give back. Check with your hotel to see what they are doing to help the area recover.

Check out local farmers markets and craft fairs

The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is among the hotels that host crafts fairs. I got to see one on a recent visit to the Sheraton — one of the original resorts in Kaanapali. You’ll find locals selling handicrafts and artwork, and you can catch musical performances from local singers and musicians. It’s a great way to shop locally and support the community.

The Sheraton Maui also hosts “Meet the Artist” events, creating a venue for creators to show their work that might have once been displayed and sold on Lahaina’s Front Street.

“While Sheraton Maui Resort and its area of Kaanapali were physically untouched, many of the associates that make up the Sheraton Maui ‘ohana (family), lost their homes, possessions, and even loved ones,” the hotel said in a statement to TPG. “The Aloha for Sheraton Maui Relief Fund, which was founded by Sheraton Maui owners Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Charitable Ventures, aims to support impacted Sheraton Maui Resort ‘ohana.”

Enjoy a Maui pineapple farm tour

The Maui Gold Pineapple Company operates pineapple tours every day of the week, through which you can get a tour of a working pineapple farm in Haliimaile, Maui. You’ll start the tour at the old plantation town near the general store, which sells every kind of pineapple accessory you could dream of.

Tour buses take small groups to see how pineapples are grown and harvested. It was a fun way to learn about an agricultural product that used to dominate Hawaii.

You’ll learn quite a bit of Hawaiian history and taste some fresh-cut pineapple. And once the short tour is over, everyone gets to take home a pineapple. The best part is that you are helping to support a local business along the way.

Take a Maui cacao farm and factory tour

Another really fun family activity in Lahaina is a visit to a cacao plantation, and this farm area in the foothills of the West Maui mountains didn’t burn in the 2023 fire. You can tour the cacao plantation on the farm, where they grow some of the cacao used in the legendary Maui Kuia Estate chocolate.

Small vans come and bring you to the Maui Kuia Estate cacao farm, where guests learn how they cultivate cacao.

After the farm tour, head to what looks like a giant treehouse to do a chocolate tasting and listen to a little lecture on everything chocolate. The farm tour ends with a nine-piece tasting of the company’s Made in Maui chocolate.

You can also tour the factory where the chocolate is made and shipped worldwide. It’s a fascinating look at a small manufacturing facility that hires many local workers.

Doing these factory tours is another way to give back.

Bottom line

Maui is back open, and locals want tourists to return. In addition to the activities we’ve covered here, people who live there encourage visitors to buy local, eat at local restaurants and consider donating to recovery efforts or even volunteering.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority lists voluntourism activities on its website so you can give back. You can also take part in the Malama Hawaii program that began during the coronavirus pandemic to help travelers plan a visit to Hawaii while giving back.

You can donate to recovery efforts by visiting Maui Nui Strong to learn more. The story we wrote not long after the fires offers even more suggestions.

As a frequent visitor since the fires, I can tell you it’s a great time to go to Maui, and your tourist dollars are still needed and appreciated.

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