It’s been more than three months since a wildfire devastated Lahaina, a historic Hawaiian town on the island of Maui. Recovery after such disasters can take years to decades and often leaves communities less equitable than before.
For the past two years, we’ve studied three Colorado communities’ recovery after the Marshall Fire—the most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history. We understand there are key differences between Maui’s experience and Colorado’s—especially the incomprehensible loss of human life in Lahaina. Despite these differences, we believe several findings from our research, which included surveying more than 1,300 survivors and interviews with community leaders, will be useful for Lahaina—and other wildfire-affected communities—in the months and years ahead. Learn more about JPB Fellow Katie Dickinson’s research.