Maui Wildfire Recovery Program 🌱
Our Maui Wildfire Recovery program has concluded. Scroll to see what we accomplished, and what is next for restoring Lahaina
On August 8, 2023, wildfires fueled by extreme drought and decades of land mismanagement tore through Lahaina, Maui.
Lahaina Harbor after the Lahaina fire
MFD putting out hotspots at the Launiopoko farm Firebreak
Immediate relief supplies being organized for delivery into Lahaina
Some of our volunteers that helped in the first weeks after the fire
Satellite internet terminal and portable solar battery bank to charge phones
The flames destroyed over 2,000 structures, killed more than 100 people, and displaced thousands. It was one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history and a stark warning of the growing risks tied to neglect of the land
On August 8, REC’s own Launiopoko farm was first damaged by hurricane-force winds and localized mini tornadoes, then burned by the wildfire. The flames stopped at a firebreak we had cleared a month earlier, in response to smaller fires that had burned near our Olowalu farm.
Regenerative Education Centers launched its fire relief program to provide immediate support in the days and weeks following the fires, while simultaneously planning for long-term recovery.
As a small nonprofit, we knew we had to act efficiently to maximize our impact. So we did. Drawing on our deep roots in Lahaina, we mobilized our network, bringing together people, organizations, and resources to multiply our collective efforts in supporting our Community.
In the chaotic days following the fire, we established a community resource center at our farm in Olowalu, located on the route to Lahaina. We provided satellite internet and mobile charging stations, helping people reconnect with their families and help coordinate aid and medical assistance when cell service was down.
“After having no cell service in the aftermath of the fire, this was the first time I was able to check on family and friends to make sure they made it out ” -Lahaina resident
A month after the fires, it became clear that we would need to shift our focus from immediate support to long term solutions to have the biggest impact in our community. So we rallied our local community and put out a global SOS for support.
Thanks to the generosity of people around the world, we received immediate donations—some monetary and others in the form of materials. Material donations included immediate support items for families to get back on their feet as well as large long term housing support items including shipping containers, 10kw solar systems, POD storage containers, pop up ADU buildings, water and septic tanks, as well as building materials for portable bathroom/kitchen trailers and container home buildouts
Because we were on the ground, we could guide these efforts to ensure every donation was genuinely helpful, meeting real community needs without adding strain to already limited logistical systems.
We created a sign-up list for local families seeking support, and more than 400 people enrolled. This allowed us to direct resources to those most in need and follow up with individuals who were overlooked by government programs or larger nonprofits.
Helping them were fellow neighbors from Lahaina, who we were able to hire with an MEO displaced workers program. Hiring those impacted by the fires allowed them to support their community’s recovery while healing themselves, restoring the land, and reconnecting with nature.
“Working at REC after the Lahaina fire gave me an opportunity to not only help my friends and neighbors from lahaina, but learn a new way of life. I discovered a regenerative approach for Maui that would lessen our reliance on outside resources and tourism. By growing our own food and eating from the Aina we live on, while at the same time building healthy soil for future generations”
-REC Fire Program Team Member
By working with a small group of dedicated volunteers, hiring those displaced by the fires, and partnering with other local nonprofits and businesses, we multiplied our impact far beyond what any of us could achieve alone. Together, we provided our neighbors with the long-term support they desperately needed.
Some of the people with the greatest need on our support list received full “off-grid tiny homestead” units, helping them regain a sense of stability after months of bouncing between couches, hotels and temporary FEMA housing. These units allowed them to live on their own land or stay on a friend’s property. Each homestead could include a container buildout, a POD for storage, a 10kW solar system with panels, a portable kitchen and bathroom, and more.
“The container and solar system from REC represent the most significant help to our recovery. We framed and insulated the container, received an a/c system, and use it as a bedroom/office. The pod is great secure storage for construction tools and household goods while we rebuild. With this support we were able to live back on our property a year after the fire, putting us far ahead of all my neighbors, who have so much uncertainty in their lives looking for temporary living or FEMA housing. Being back on our own land is such a blessing. A huge mahalo to Eddy and the team !!” –Lahaina housing recipient.
🌱Moving forward with a regenerative mind🌱
Now that the first phase of our Lahaina Fire Recovery Program is finished, we are returning to our mission: Promoting environmental stewardship through regenerative farming to inspire global transformation.
We are grateful that our mission naturally supports Lahaina’s recovery. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to assisting our community lay the foundation for a resilient and sustainable future.
Our current projects are already ramping up…
🏡 Continuing to support the families we have helped through our fire program
🥗 Providing fresh, free, nutrient filled beyond organic food to our neighbors from our regenerative farm
🧑🌾 Continue to assist rebuild efforts by teaching natural landscaping techniques that prevent wildfires by turning fire-prone vegetation into fertile soil
🪴Bolstering our nursery and giving trees to the community to promote backyard small agriculture and food security
🌴 Replanting Lahaina public spaces with native plants and voyaging food trees instead of decorative plants or invasive brush
🪸 Continue our SeaTrees projects promoting fire resilience, food security, healthy ecosystems and sediment free coral reefs.
🌱Exploring new partnerships with additional organizations to restore and reforest neglected land on Maui’s west side.
Thank you to the many organizations that teamed up to support lahaina recovery : PASHA, GEM, Hawaii Community Foundation, Seatrees, Blue Tape Maui, Living Earth Systems, The Footprint Project, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii,
What are you waiting for! Get in contact with us below and join the regenerative movement!