Hawaii
Death toll from Hawaii wildfires will rise as search teams comb Lahaina wreckage, governor says

Days after a wildfire destroyed most of Lahaina, crews are going house to house in search of survivors or human remains.
Robert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
The death toll from catastrophic wildfires in Hawaii is expected to rise significantly in the coming days as search teams make their way through the wreckage in the devastated town of Lahaina.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said search teams will likely find 10 to 20 bodies daily in an operation that is expected to last 10 days. Some 1,300 people are still missing, Green said.
“There are more fatalities that will come,” Green told CBS in an interview that aired Monday. “The fire was so hot that what we find is the tragic finding that you would imagine. It’s hard to recognize anybody, but they’re able to determine if someone did perish.”
The wildfires have left at least 96 dead so far and caused $5.6 billion in damage in the worst natural disaster in state history and the deadliest blaze in the U.S. in more than a century.
Maui chief of police John Pelletier speaks about the Maui fire during a media conference in Kahului on Maui island, Hawaii, U.S., August 12, 2023.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said on Saturday that search dogs have only gone through 3% of the disaster area in the historic town of Lahaina so far.
Pelletier described the painstaking process of using rapid DNA tests to identify the delicate remains of those who perished in a blaze so hot that it melted metal. He called on families who have missing loved ones to take a DNA test so authorities can identify those who have died.
Pelletier said nobody knows the magnitude of the loss of life yet. The police chief said he understands the public wants information quickly, but authorities are focused on conducting the search correctly.
“There’s a word here called Pono, it means righteous — doing what’s right,” Pelletier said. “We’re going to do this, but we’re going to do it Pono because we’re going to do it the right way. We’re doing to do it with respect, we’re going to do it with Aloha, we’re going to do it with dignity.”
Green said in a video statement on Sunday that 2,700 buildings were destroyed in Lahaina with an estimated value of $5.6 billion. He describe the blaze as a “fire hurricane” that moved a mile a minute with temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Green attributed the conditions that fanned the blaze to global warming. Hawaii was suffering from drought conditions in the run-up to the fire and was also hit with strong winds due in part to Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the islands.
Cars drive away from Lahaina after wildfires driven by high winds burned across most of the town several days ago, Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 10, 2023.
Marco Garcia | Reuters
Green said the blaze on Maui began late in the evening on Tuesday, with several fires occurring at the same time. One fire was deemed extinguished but it must not have been completely out, the governor said. Sixty-mile-per-hour winds with gusts up to 81 miles per hour then spread the blaze rapidly.
“That’s what a fire hurricane is going to look [like] in the era of global warming,” Green told MSNBC in an interview Sunday. “And so we have to all do right now what we can to stop global warming and reverse it.”
“I want to warn the entire planet about this, all of America and all of the world,” Green said.
The Lahaina fire is 85% contained, the Upcountry fire is 60% contained and the Pulehu/Kihei fire is 100% contained, according to Maui County officials. The blaze in Maui is the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. since the 1918 Cloquet Fire in Minnesota that killed hundreds of people.
The water in Lahaina and many parts of Upper Kula is not safe to drink, authorities said. Bottled water should be used for all drinking, brushing teeth, ice making and food preparation.
A burnt cart is seen at the Ho’Onanea condominium complex, in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S. August 10, 2023.
Staff | Reuters
Authorities in Hawaii have faced criticism for not moving quickly enough to alert people about the catastrophic blaze. The Hawaii Emergency Services Administration confirmed on Friday that warning sirens were not activated during the blaze. Three other alert systems were activated, a spokesperson said, including mobile devices, radio and television, and Maui County’s opt-in alert system.
Green said he has ordered a comprehensive review led by the state attorney general of the decisions made in response to the wildfires. The governor said there was massive destruction of telecommunications equipment during the disaster.
“We’ll know soon whether or not they did enough to get those sirens going,” Green told MSNBC. “But there was massive destruction of telecommunications. Otherwise, we ourselves would have communicated with each other like we always do within seconds on our cell phones,” he said.
Davilynn Severson and Hano Ganer look for belongings through the ashes of their family’s home in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 11, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
President Joe Biden declare a major disaster in Hawaii last week on Thursday. There are currently more than 400 personnel from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the ground in Hawaii, Green said.
The governor said there are heavy metals and other toxins in the dust from the debris in Lahaina. He said the Environmental Protection Agency is helping to clear the toxic debris.
The Health and Human Services Department on Friday declared a public health emergency in Hawaii.

Hawaii
Is This What Passes for a Hawaii Flight Now?

Has something shifted on flights to Hawaii—and not in a good way? We just flew five and a half hours across the Pacific, and we got one poured beverage, no refills, and no meal purchase option.
We were in economy—if you think that was bad, wait to hear what happened in first class.
There are no trays, promised improved snacks, or new drink options—just the bare minimum on a route United once treated like something special—a route BOH editors have been flying for over 30 years.
One beverage, poured only, and a 3/4 ounce snack.
Service began early and ended fast. Economy passengers received a single poured beverage in a plastic cup. Flight attendants made clear there would be no second beverage service and no full cans offered. If you wanted more, water would be available—and it was offered once. It didn’t even feel like a Hawaii flight. It felt like an afterthought.
Pretzels, quinoa crisp, or stroopwafel followed. With little for the flight attendants to do, they became obsessed with the State of Hawaii Agriculture forms. They tried to collect ours early in the flight, and when it wasn’t ready, we were told we might be arrested if it wasn’t completed before landing. This was a first.
We’ve come to expect minimal service in economy, which is fine. However, this United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Kauai was different. After all, it was marketed and priced as a premium leisure route. Five plus hours in the air with one tiny drink and a small snack only questionably meets reasonable standards.
This might be why the pilot came out to extensively greet everyone before departure, trying to put everyone in a good mood before the flight, and the issues not of their making were revealed.
First class, minus the class.
Up front, things weren’t much better. Maybe they were worse. We were seated in the first row behind first class, where it was very clear: no meals were offered, and no alcohol was served. Instead, passengers received an apologetic explanation, one poured beverage, and a mileage credit as compensation.
It was a striking downgrade for a premium cabin on a long-haul Hawaii flight. There was no sense that this was a one-time issue; It felt routine. And if this is what first class looks like during peak summer travel, it raises the question: What exactly are travelers paying for?
The real issue: a meltdown at SFO.
The flight attendants didn’t sugarcoat it—and neither will we. United’s catering operation out of San Francisco is still a mess. Things haven’t stabilized after switching from Gate Gourmet to LSG Sky Chefs, which leaves flights in disarray. Many flights are going with minimal or missing onboard service, with service items sometimes stuffed into trash bags and boarded, and nobody at United seems surprised anymore.
Before departure, United sent a text admitting the problem: “Due to a catering transition, some of our outbound flights from San Francisco may not have our typical onboard selection.” Translation: Don’t expect much at all. According to the crew, the situation won’t improve until sometime after July.
What triggered this? United replaced longtime SFO caterer, Gate Gourmet, with LSG Sky Chefs. That shift came with a fallout: hundreds of Gate Gourmet employees were reportedly laid off, and LSG rehired many of the same people under different terms. It’s unclear what that means for quality, continuity, or morale, but passengers pay the price for how United handled the transition.
What triggered problems at United?
How could a company the size of United allow this to unfold, at its largest hub west of Denver and on key longer-haul domestic routes to Hawaii, among others? It’s a mystery even the crew couldn’t explain. We were told that some crew members have refused to work routes from San Francisco until this is resolved, and given the circumstances, we can see why.
It is abundantly clear that the transition was poorly timed and badly communicated, and paying passengers have been feeling it for a long time.
Travelers across routes have reported dry flights with no food, downgraded premium meals, and mystery substitutions. On this Hawaii flight, there was technically food. But that’s about as generous as we can be.
Navigating SFO was its own ordeal.
San Francisco International is also in the middle of a major construction project. Rob received a text from United warning: “San Francisco Airport (SFO) is currently undergoing renovations, which may require additional time to reach your gate.”
It meant the usual main entrance was closed, forcing a circuitous detour up and down and through the garage parking lot after getting off the AirTrain. Signage was limited, help was hard to find, and the layout felt more improvised than planned. Staff did their best, but the entire setup frustrated many travelers before the flight began.
This isn’t about any perks. It’s about the basics.
Most travelers flying to Hawaii from the mainland know they’re no longer getting free checked bags or a hot meal. But what’s happening now on United SFO routes is different. When five-plus-hour flights can’t offer passengers two beverages, that’s not even economy service. That’s a failure of planning.
Some others on social media said that United had warned them there would be no catering and that they should bring their food before boarding. Some reported a $15 credit from United, which at SFO wouldn’t go far for any meal.
It’s not the crew’s fault. They were efficient and apologetic. But they’re working within severe operational limits given to them. One good thing is that United flight attendants recently secured a tentative contract that includes raises of up to 45% over five years. It doesn’t fix the catering mess, but at least their patience in the cabin might finally pay off.
We’ll be watching this all summer.
Bring your food if you’re flying from San Francisco to Hawaii this season. That includes water. Don’t count on anything onboard. And don’t assume your United Hawaii flight will feel like anything special.
The only thing that stood out on this flight was high-quality Wi-Fi across the Pacific for $8, which we shared between the two of us with a Mobile Hotspot. The Viasat Wi-Fi on the route previously didn’t work most of the time. This article was written at 30k feet.
Have you flown on any routes from United San Francisco to Hawaii recently? Was your experience the same, or better? Let us know what you saw, and we’ll keep tracking what’s going on aboard Hawaii flights from the mainland.
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Hawaii
Rainbow Wahine soccer releases 2025 schedule
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii women’s soccer team released it’s 2025 schedule on Friday.
The ‘Bows hoping to defend their Big West regular season title in their final season in the Conference.
UH will open the season on the road on August 14th with a nonconference match against Long Beach State before taking on Pepperdine three days later.
Hawaii will then host 10 matches in a row with two Outrigger Tournaments.
The Outrigger Soccer Kickoff will feature Central Arkansas and Oregon while the Outrigger No Ka Oi will have Northern Arizona and 2024 NCAA Tournament team California Baptist.
Hawaii will also have nonconference games against Sacramento State, Saint Mary’s and Eastern Washington before opening conference play on September 18th at Long Beach State.
All home matches will be played at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium with free admission.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Hawaii
UH athletics director pick has strong ties to Hawaii, but will still face challenges

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – University of Hawaii president Wendy Hensel announced her pick for the university’s next athletics director, appointing Matt Elliott on Thursday.
Community leaders praise Elliott for his short time he’s spent in the islands.
Elliott most recently moved to Oahu in 2022 and started working for the Hawaii Community Foundation, where their now-former CEO says UH is making the right move.
As CEO, Micah Kane worked closely with Elliott, who served as the nonprofit’s senior policy director.
“In my career, I would say he’s one of the top leaders that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with,” Kane told reporters. “I think what you’re going to find when he goes into the the system is that he’s going to map out a strategy and he’s going to be very collaborative on how that strategy is built.”
Longtime banker Jack Tsui also likes the pick.
The search committee co-chair says his team looked at more than 100 candidates and came up with four finalists based largely on their Division I experience, recruiting skills, and Hawaii ties.
Elliott’s wife, a Punahou graduate, was born and raised in Hawaii. They’ve lived off and on in Hawaii since in 2005, but Elliott also spent 13 years at UCLA.
“He worked successfully with coaches and guided UCLA’s entrance into the Big Ten,” Tsui said. “I think his personal attributes would be integrity, intelligence, honesty.”
Elliott said in a statement that he’s grateful for the opportunity and plans to “chart an ambitious and unified path forward.”
Former UH regent Jeff Portnoy says Elliott will need to adapt to a changing college landscape.
“I know that Mr. Elliott has been involved in college sports while he was at UCLA, apparently had a lot to do with their moving to the Big Ten, but so much has happened in collegiate sports in the last 24 months that he’s got a big learning curve ahead of him,” Portnoy said.
Pending approval by the UH regents, Elliott’s base salary will start at $425,000 with additional performance-based incentives.
That’s a change from former AD Craig Angelos, who was never on contract.
Tsui saying it was important that the next AD would be under contract.
“It was the first conversation I had with the president and that was in January,” Tsui said.
“I haven’t seen the contract. Unfortunately, when I was a regent, I saw way too many athletic contracts and know how problems can arise,” Portnoy said.
Elliott’s most obvious tests include the Aloha Stadium project and name image and likeness compensation for athletes, as well as transitioning more teams to the Mountain West Conference next year.
A more nuanced test will be navigating the political and business communities in a state that loves UH sports.
“He could be the right choice,” Portnoy said. “Again, I don’t know him. I just know these other things. He’s got some strong positives, but he’s got some huge challenges.”
Elliott would need to be approved by the UH Board of Regents at a special meeting set for June 16.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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