Maui officials highlight steps toward rebuilding as 1-year mark of deadly wildfire approaches

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Nearly a year after wind-whipped flames raced through Kim Ball’s Hawaii community, the empty lot where his house once stood is a symbol of some of the progress being made toward rebuilding after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

“Welcome to our neighborhood,” Ball said Wednesday as he greeted a van full of Hawaii reporters invited by Maui County officials to tour certain fire-ravaged sites. Already there are signs of change since the fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and killed 102 people in Lahaina.

The gravel covering lots on his street in Lahaina indicate which properties have been cleared of debris and toxic ash in the months since the Aug. 8, 2023, blaze. On the lots along Komo Mai Street, there are pockets of green poking up through still visible charred vegetation.

Speaking over the noise from heavy equipment working across the street, Ball described how he was able to get a building permit quickly, partly because his home was only about 5 years old and his contractor still had the plans.

Ball wants to rebuild the same house from those plans.

“We may change the color of the paint,” he said.

Nearby on Malanai Street, some walls were already up on Gene Milne’s property. His is the first to start construction because his previous home was not yet fully completed and had open permits.

When he evacuated, he was living in an accessory dwelling, known locally as an “ohana unit,” borrowing the Hawaiian word for family. The main home was about 70% done.

“I was in complete denial that the fire would ever get to my home,” he recalled. “Sure enough, when I came back a couple days later it was gone.”

It’s “extremely healing,” he said, to be on the site and see the walls go up for what will be the new ohana unit. Using insurance money to rebuild, he's “looking forward to that day where I can have a cocktail on the lanai, enjoy Maui — home.”

The construction underway at Milne's property is “a milestone for us,” said Maui Mayor Richard Bissen. “I think the rest of the community can use this as sort of a jumping off point, and say, ‘If they can do it, we can do it, too.’”

Even though it’s been nearly a year, rebuilding Lahaina will be long and complicated. It’s unclear when people displaced by the fire will be able to move back and whether they’ll be able to afford to do so. The county has approved 23 residential building permits so far and 70 are under review, officials said.

“We're not focused on the speed — we're focused on the safety," Bissen said.

Other stops of the tour included debris removal at a former outlet mall that had been a popular shopping destination for both tourists and locals, and a beloved, giant 151-year-old banyan tree, now drastically greener with new growth thanks to the preservation efforts of arborists.

They cared for the sprawling tree with alfalfa and other nutrients — “mainly just water,” said Tim Griffith, Maui County's arborist, who is helping care for the tree along Lahaina's historic Front Street. “Trees are ... going to heal themselves, especially when they're stressed.”

The lot of a former outlet mall is seen during a media tour Wednesday, June 26, 2024, of work being done in the aftermath of last year's wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Workers remove debris from commercial properties destroyed in last year's wildfire, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

FILE - A general view shows the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen stands during a media tour on Front Street, showing recovery efforts after last year's wildfire, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Even though it’s been nearly a year, rebuilding Lahaina will be long and complicated. It’s unclear when people displaced by the fire will be able to move back and whether they’ll be able to afford to do so. The county has issued about two dozen residential building permits so far, officials said. “We're not focused on the speed, we're focused on the safety," Bissen said. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

The Foundations of Kim Ball's property is pictured during a media tour, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Ball is one of the first to receive a permit to rebuild following last year's wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

FILE - The Lahaina historic banyan tree rises among the wildfire wreckage, Aug. 10, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - A man reacts as he sits on the Lahaina historic banyan tree damaged by a wildfire, Aug. 11, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

New leaves sprout from the historic Lahaina banyan tree, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The giant 151-year-old tree is now drastically greener with new growth thanks to the preservation efforts of arborists following last year's devasting wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

A general view of Front Street shows the primary debris from last year's wildfire being removed from commercial properties, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

An aerial photo of Lahainaluna Road is pictured after debris from over 1,000 residential properties was removed following last year's wildfire, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Workers remove the debris from commercial properties destroyed by last year's wildfire, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

New leaves grow on the 151-year-old banyan tree, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Arborists and volunteers help helped preserved the tree after last year's wildfire. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

A general view of Front Street shows the primary debris from last year's wildfire being removed for commercial properties, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

FILE - The charred remains of the Old Lahaina Courthouse are shown, Aug. 11, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Construction on Gene Milne's property is seen during a media tour Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Milne lost his newly built home in last year's wildfire. His is the first to start construction because his previous home was not yet fully completed and had open permits. When he evacuated, he was living in an accessory dwelling, known locally as an “ohana unit,” borrowing the Hawaiian word for family. The main home was about 70% done. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Gene Milne, an impact zone property owner, is pictured during an interview on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Milne lost his newly built home in last year's wildfire and is the first property owner to start the rebuilding process since his previous home was not yet fully completed and had open permits. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — The wind at Newport Country Club hasn’t been able to slow down Hiroyuki Fujita in the U.S. Senior Open.

Maybe the rain will stop him.

The Japanese Tour veteran shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday to improve to 14 under in pursuit of a wire-to-wire win and his first victory on American soil. He’ll have to withstand thunderstorms forecast for the final round as well as a charge from 2019 champion Steve Stricker, who made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to shoot his third straight 66 and cut a four-stroke deficit in half.

“The conditions are supposed to be pretty bad, from what I hear, tomorrow,” Fujita said. “I don’t have a lot of distance on my club, so I’m definitely going to be in some tough spots. I’m just going to focus on the fact that I’m playing on the last day in the last group and focus on the fact that I’m lucky to be here.”

Richard Green shot 69 to sit at minus-11, with Richard Bland (69) at 9 under and Bob Estes (66) at 8 under.

Players teed off early and in threesomes from both nines on Saturday in an attempt to finish before the fog rolled in on the 7,024-yard, par-70 course on the mouth of Narragansett Bay. Tee times were moved up again for the final round on Sunday, when rain and lightning were forecast for the afternoon.

“This place is meant to be kind of firm and fast and kind of linksy in feel. If it stayed this way, a little breezy, and firmed up a little bit, it would be a really tough test tomorrow,” 2021 winner Jim Furyk said.

“If it rains quite a bit, I think you’ll see some guys who are able to score, where it’s easier to keep it on the fairway, easier to get the balls on the greens, and maybe a little less difficult,” he said. “If it’s wet, if it rains, someone will go out there and fire it.”

Fujita, who had never broken 70 on the 50-and-over tour, did it for the third day in a row while posting the only bogey-free round on Saturday. He has just one bogey in the first 54 holes and has missed just one fairway in the tournament.

“He didn’t really miss a shot all the way around. He’s very consistent,” said Stricker, who was the tournament’s runner-up in each of the last two years. “We’re going to have to go out and have a good round to try to catch him. It looks like he’s in control of what’s going on with his game and emotion.”

Fujita had three birdies on the front on Saturday to open a big lead at 14 under before making nine straight pars on the back nine.

“He just didn’t make any mistakes,” Green said. “If he plays like that tomorrow, it’s going to take a good round from the guys coming from behind to catch him. You never know in the pressure of a U.S. Open at the end of the week what might happen. But I’ll just play my game and see where it ends up.”

Stricker fell four strokes back with a bogey on the par-3 13th but then got the stroke back on No. 16. He drained a 40-foot putt on the 17th right before Fujita missed his birdie putt from about 12 feet.

Stricker, who was second by two strokes to Padraig Harrington in 2022 and one shot behind Bernhard Langer last year, has posted a 33 on all six nine-hole sides of the tournament.

“You’ve got Greenie, obviously, who’s playing great at the minute. Steve Stricker’s been there, done it," Bland said. "I don’t know too much about the guy that’s in front, but he’s pretty much had the lead all week.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The clubhouse at the Newport Country Club is visible Friday, June 28, 2024, behind a sign for the U.S. Senior Open which is being played June 27-30 in Newport, R.I. (AP Photo/Jimmy Golen)