With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Lessons from Lahaina: Months of testing followed post-wildfire reopenings
An aerial view of lots which have been cleared of wildfire debris, covered in gray gravel, as recovery work continues on Aug. 3, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii.
(
Mario Tama
/
Getty Images North America
)
Topline:
California schools are navigating the reopening of campuses that have experienced a range of wildfire outcomes, from complete destruction to poor air quality. In Maui, schools didn’t reopen for about two months in the wake of a wildfire that leveled Lahaina.
The backstory: In August 2023, a wildfire caused by downed power lines destroyed the town of Lahaina on the northwest coast of Maui. The blaze wrecked an elementary school, temporarily closed three other campuses, and displaced about 3,000 students.
Safety concerns: With some campuses blocks away from the burn zone, parents and educators raised concerns the demolition and ongoing clean-up in the burn zone could harm students. Some post-fire soil samples in Lahaina showed elevated levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic substances.
Support for LAist comes from
The recovery: The Hawaii Department of Education worked with state and federal agencies to remove debris, clean and flush the water lines, restore power, test the soil for heavy metals and install air quality sensors before schools reopened in October. “We wanted to assure a heavily traumatized community that we were doing all we could to be able to demonstrate that the environment was safe,” said Gary Bignami, who oversees the environmental services unit at the Hawaii Department of Education.
Read more on what's being done here:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
Best of LAist