Maui County Council members moved forward with bills in July that would let people build temporary structures on their properties in the 5-square-mile burn zone in Lahaina. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)

Alice Lee, who chairs the council, has been steering the nine-member body, which with its work on the overall budget now complete has been returning to more policy-related bills. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)

Maui County Council Chairperson Alice Lee steered the nine-member body to pass legislation that would allow the county to fill long-term vacancies on boards and commissions. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)

Kate Blystone, who has been serving as Maui County planning director since February, told the attendees of a community workshop to “think big” when voicing their ideas about how to rebuild Lahaina. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

During a community workshop at Lahainaluna High School, all ideas and thoughts about how to rebuild Lahaina were taken into consideration for the long-term recovery plan that’s expected in December. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

The two-story building at 744 Front St. that had been the home of drummer Mick Fleetwood’s restaurant was charred but still standing after the Aug. 8 fire. Lahaina business owners are speaking up more about what they’d like to see rebuilt. (Courtesy: Leil Koch)

Leil Koch wants his property that used to house Fleetwood’s on Front Street to be one of the first buildings rebuilt in the Lahaina business district to help provide a beacon of hope for the recovery but it’s been a complicated process so far. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

Maui County Council candidate Kelly King spoke to community members after a South Maui candidates forum hosted by Civil Beat. She’s trying to reclaim her old seat, and will face incumbent Tom Cook and Johnny Prones in the primary. (Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024)

Maui County Council member Tom Cook hosted a town hall in South Maui that included updated for the community from Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura. Voters will have three candidates to choose from in the Aug. 10 primary for the South Maui council seat. (Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024)

Amos Lonokailua-Hewett, head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, spoke to over 100 community members during a South Maui town hall event. He said his agency has nine people now and plans to add six more next year, including three just for public awareness. (Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024)

The state and federal government are building two adjacent temporary group housing projects mauka of the the Wahikuli neighborhood in north Lahaina. (Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024)

The Maui County Council took up permitting inefficiencies, funding for events the county is putting on to commemorate the Aug. 8 fires anniversary and a bevy of appointments to boards and the mayor’s Cabinet in July. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)

Mayor Richard Bissen, left, selected Richard Mitchell to lead the new standalone Department of Housing at a critical time for the county. A council committee unanimously recommended the full council confirm the appointment. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

Maui County set up an overflow area in the lobby of the county building in Wailuku to accommodate all the people who wanted to watch or testify before the Maui Planning Commission, which voted to recommend the County Council approve Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposal (with some tweaks) to phase out 7,000 short-term rentals in an effort to create long-term housing. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

A 574-acre fire on the slopes of Haleakala forced the closure of Crater Road on July 10. The road reopened July 24, but it was re-closed July 27 for a week as a safety precaution while crews continue to fight the blaze. (DLNR/2024)

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen held a press conference with state and federal partners to share updates on the Crater Road fire, which was 80% contained on July 15. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)

With Gov. Josh Green on vacation, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke went to Maui for the press conference on the Crater Road fire, the biggest blaze to break out on the island since Aug. 8. (Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024)