ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ

Victims’ lawyers want the Hawaii Supreme Court to weigh in.

No specifics have been released, but the amount would help pay for costs that FEMA isn’t authorized to cover.

Hurricane Gilma, meanwhile, increased to a Category 4 hurricane but it was still far east of Hawaii and forecast to weaken.

Residents aware of the dangers can take some steps to protect their communities, but they’re still looking to government to enforce stricter codes for all.

Lahaina will likely be more resilient when it’s rebuilt. But will the rest of Hawaii’s vulnerable communities agree to tougher building codes to defend themselves?

Gov. Josh Green calls on lawyers to reduce fees to help the victims, but the settlement still is not final.

Disasters like the one in Lahaina last year are often thought of as wildfires. In fact, experts say, they are urban fires whose spread depends on the way houses and neighborhoods are built.

The state’s vendors include hotels, law firms and even other state emergency management agencies.

We need to hear from anyone who has been touched by what many say is a secondary housing crisis after the fires. Have you faced eviction or a rent increase? Are you a landlord or property manager? Tell us how you’ve been affected.

High prices offered by emergency housing programs have encouraged property owners to chase the money. Housing advocates say state officials haven’t moved aggressively enough to crack down on predatory behavior.