Hawaii wildfires

Disaster recovery

• Get the latest Hawaii wildfire disaster recovery information from FEMA.
• Learn how the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service of the Pacific Islands Area (NRCS PIA) is assessing wildfire damage to bring emergency disaster assistance programs to farmers, ranchers, and private landowners. 

Financial assistance

• Learn how you can qualify for financial assistance after a disaster to get help with food, bills, unemployment, and more.
• Get tips from this Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) blog post for recovering financially after a disaster and guidance on how to help people affected by the Hawaii wildfires.
• Find out if you are eligible for an SBA Disaster Loan. These low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration can help homeowners, small businesses, and non-profits recover from a declared disaster.

Food assistance

• Households impacted by the Hawaii wildfires may be eligible for USDA's Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). You may qualify even if you do not normally receive SNAP benefits. You could be eligible for D-SNAP if you had lost income, property damage, relocation expenses, or a loss of food related to the wildfires.
• USDA's Food and Nutrition Service announced temporary changes to food assistance programs for those impacted by the Hawaii wildfires:
  • SNAP benefits can be used to purchase hot foods through October 14 in all five counties in Hawaii.
  • SNAP recipients in Maui County can have their August benefits automatically replaced rather than needing to report individual losses due to the wildfire. Get more details from the Hawaii State Department of Human Services. SNAP recipients living in other affected areas may request replacement benefits by filing an application for replacement of food with the local processing center.
  • The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program will allow substitutions for infant formula brands and on portion sizes for eggs, tofu, whole wheat/whole grain bread, juice, and breakfast cereal through at least October 31, 2023.
  • Child nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, can allow parents to pick up meals until October 31, 2023 or until children return to class in person.
  • Child nutrition programs have also been given the flexibility to continue to operate even if they are not able to provide all of the usual food items with each meal due to limitations as a result of the Hawaii wildfires.

Housing

• The Hawaiʻi Fire Relief Housing Program is connecting displaced residents with property owners and landlords who have vacant space available.
• Homeowners in the declared disaster area with FHA-insured mortgages may receive a 90-day relief from foreclosures. Contact your mortgage or loan servicer immediately to ask for assistance. You can also visit the FHA Disaster Relief site or call 1-800-304-9320 for disaster relief options. 

Health and safety

• Mental health - Call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. The national hotline provides free 24/7, crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. Deaf and hard of hearing ASL callers can use a videophone or ASL Now.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources for coping with disasters and related health concerns:
  • Wildfire health and safety
  • Health and safety concerns for all disasters
  • Coping with a disaster or traumatic event
  • Resources for teens after a natural disaster
• If you are from the Hawaii wildfires disaster area and do not have any form of medical coverage, you may be able to get prescriptions, medical supplies, and vaccines at no cost until September 16, 2023. Learn how to enroll in the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Disaster Resource Center has information on the Hawaii wildfires, as well as tips for handling food safety after a disaster. 
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff are working with other government partners on Maui, focusing on removing hazardous waste from areas affected by the wildfires.

Documents and vital records

• The State Department is waiving application fees for passports lost in the Hawaii fires. Learn how replace a lost or damaged passport.
• Find out how to replace vital records and ID cards.

Military and veterans

• If you are a veteran or are concerned about a veteran who is in distress, contact the Veterans Crisis Line, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 988, then Press 1; text message (838255); or chat online. 
• If you receive care through the VA, you can get VA mental health services and/or engage with a mental health specialist at your local VA facility.  

Business and consumer information

• Find tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to avoid scams while recovering from the Maui wildfires. The agency also has information on how to avoid scams when making charitable donations to support survivors.
• The Department of the Treasury announced aid for savings bond owners affected by the Hawaii wildfires. Survivors from impacted counties can request a waiver of the one-year minimum holding period for U.S. savings bonds. You can also request expedited replacement for lost or damaged paper bonds.
• The National Credit Union Administration is monitoring and assisting credit unions affected by the wildfires.
• The Census Bureau provides data tools with economic and demographic information for the areas impacted by the Hawaii wildfires.
• Federal and state financial agencies issued a statement outlining how they will provide regulatory assistance to financial institutions affected by the Hawaii wildfires. Read the statement from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Division of Financial Institutions, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Communications

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is monitoring the status of communication for areas impacted by the Hawaii wildfires and offers tips for communicating during an emergency.