Maui Fire
The Inter-regional Economic Impact of the Reduction in Tourism Following the Maui Wildfires
Hawai‘i’s economy, heavily specialized in tourism, is particularly vulnerable to shocks that disrupt tourism numbers. The Maui economy is even more dependent on tourists, and the extraordinary losses from the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Kula continue to dampen tourist numbers. To help understand the wider economic effects of the Maui wildfires, we quantify the […]
Read MoreNew MauiWES Study Published in JAMA Psychiatry
A new study led by UHERO’s Ruben Juarez has been published in JAMA Psychiatry. The article finds mental health consequences of wildfire exposure, housing displacement, and income disruption following the 2023 Maui wildfires impacting residents inside and outside of the burn zone. This cross-sectional study shows wildfire exposure and its socioeconomic consequences are associated with […]
Read MoreMental health impacts of Maui wildfires extend beyond burn zone
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry finds that the mental health impacts of the Maui wildfires extend beyond the burn zone. In this cross-sectional study of 2,453 adults, residents within wildfire burn zones had a 53% higher risk of depression and 67% higher risk of anxiety compared with unexposed individuals, with suicidal ideation not […]
Read MoreNearly $800K awarded to support MauiWES
Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente have committed nearly $800K in funding to support the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES). “‘This support allows us to keep showing up for the Maui community over the long term,’ said study co-lead Ruben Juarez, professor at the UH Economic Research Organization (UHERO). ‘The willingness of residents to participate […]
Read MoreRecovery Through a Disability Lens: Impacts of the 2023 Maui Wildfires on Disability Equity and Shared Prosperity
By Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, and Alika Maunakea The August 2023 Maui wildfires devastated homes, disrupted livelihoods, and reshaped entire communities. For many Maui residents with disabilities, life after the fires has been an uphill climb. This report draws on two large-scale surveys conducted between 2024 and 2025 to document how the disaster and its […]
Read MoreNew MauiWES Study Published in JAMA Network Open
A new paper in JAMA Network Open, a journal of the American Medical Association, led by Dr. Ruben Juarez, Dr. Alika Maunakea, Dr. Daniela Bond-Smith, and the MauiWES team at the University of Hawai‘i, highlights both the challenges and the resilience of communities impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires. The study, which followed over 1,100 […]
Read MoreProgress and Vulnerability Two Years After the Wildfires: A Data-Driven Update from the Maui Recovery Survey
By Daniela Bond-Smith, Sophia Davis, Marceline Kanaiaupuni-Naff, and Caleb Wood Two years after the devastating August 2023 wildfires, thousands of fire-affected people continue to navigate a long and complex path to recovery. While many are still facing hardship — including displacement, financial uncertainty, and unmet needs — others have regained stability in many aspects of […]
Read MoreFrom Crisis to Recovery: Health and Resilience Two Years After the Maui Wildfires
By Ruben Juarez, PhD, Alika Maunakea, PhD, Krit Phankitnirundorn, PhD, Binh Le, PhD, Carl Bonham, PhD, Daniela Bond-Smith, PhD, Marsha Lowery, ND, Chris Knightsbridge, PsyD, Samia Valeria Ozorio Dutra, PhD RN, Martina Kamaka, MD, and Pauli Amornkul, MD Research support by Rafael Peres David, Keeton Krause, Braden Kunihiro, Quan Zhang, Noelle Rubas, Amada Torres Salazar, […]
Read MoreRoots Reborn: “Our Financial Future” – Insights into the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Maui’s Immigrant Community
By Ruben Juarez, Veronica Mendoza Jachowski, Lily Solano, and the Roots Reborn Team Background and PurposeIn February and March 2025, Roots Reborn launched Our Financial Future, a community-driven initiative to support immigrant wildfire survivors through direct financial aid, banking access, and financial education. Drawing on nearly 300 participants, the initiative employed two comprehensive, culturally attuned […]
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