The Hawaiʻi County Fire Commission has appointed a temporary replacement but filling Todd’s shoes within the State Fire Council presents a bigger challenge.

The state is seeking another extension to the FEMA housing program that thousands of Maui residents have relied on since losing their homes in the 2023 wildfires. It’s currently set to end Feb. 28.

The County Council moved the Bill 9 counterpart forward to receive a thorough vetting and recommendations on ways to change it before final passage.

The county won’t say how much it intends to pay the company in damages over the eminent domain case to acquire a dump site for Lahaina fire debris.

Kāʻanapali condo owners have filed the first lawsuit so far against the county over Bill 9.

Two fatal fires at the Wild Ginger Inn and the old Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory in Hilo expose gaps in the state’s fire safety inspection system.

The County Council plans to take up a separate measure Friday that could effectively exempt more than half of the affected properties.

Government officials developed a way to deal with tons of electric vehicle batteries left in the aftermath of wildfires and found at illegal dumpsites.

With the Maui fires and Covid pandemic in mind, advocates cite progress in bolstering the food system but recognize there’s work to do.

The county says it is tightening up its oversight of public money to prevent fraud and abuse.