{
  "id": 14917099,
  "title": "Long After the Maui Fires, Toxic Metals Linger in Residents’ Bodies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/long-after-the-maui-fires-toxic-metals-linger-in-residents-bodies-14917099",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T08:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Intercept",
    "slug": "the-intercept-theintercept",
    "url": "https://theintercept.com/2026/10/16/maui-wildfire-toxic-metals/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In August 2023, wildfires ravaged Maui, claiming over 100 lives, demolishing thousands of homes, and causing billions in damage. Noelani Ahia, a co-founder of Maui Medic Healers Hui, coordinated around 600 volunteers comprising doctors, nurses, and therapists in Lahaina. Three years on, the housing and health crises persist. Ahia laments that the fire may be extinguished, but the crisis continues. Research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) revealed that over 1 in 5 residents exhibited reduced lung function. New research from the same project has now uncovered elevated levels of toxic metals in the island's residents months after the fires, with higher exposure linked to impaired lung function. The findings underscore the fact that the health repercussions of catastrophic wildfires can endure long after the flames are doused and the smoke dissipates. Alika Maunakea, a Kanaka Maoli and co-director of MauiWES, commented to Grist that \"what we consider and sometimes regard as a one-time event isn't really one-time anymore.\" Researchers are yet to ascertain the extent to which the contamination stemmed from the fires and how much existed prior to the disaster. This distinction is crucial given the increasing frequency of wildfires in places like Lāhainā and Los Angeles, where burning structures can release contaminants over extended periods. Traditional wildfire exposure has been viewed through the prism of smoke. However, when an entire community burns, the exposure environment becomes significantly more complex. The research examined 24 metals in the urine samples of 1,400 adults on Maui, six to 18 months post the fires. The results indicated that participants had higher concentrations of several metals compared to a nationwide health survey conducted prior to the fires. These included 2.2 times the arsenic, 2.3 times the barium, and 3.8 times the manganese. Antimony, a component in flame-retardant materials and linked to lung irritation, stomach pain, and other symptoms, was detected at levels nearly 40 times higher. Ahia emphasizes that the research must now address the question of how much of this metal exposure resulted from the disaster to provide a comprehensive understanding. The answer to this query will be explored in the project's forthcoming stages, which have secured a $3.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This funding will facilitate an investigation into whether and to what degree historical agricultural and industrial activities contributed to the contamination. Ahia notes that these issues are deeply rooted in settler colonialism, which has left a lasting impact on the islands. She underscores that a comprehensive recovery must consider these underlying factors, such as micro climate change, which is exacerbated by histories of land ownership, water diversion, development, and unequal resource distribution. Kamelamela, a Kanaka Maoli and assistant professor at Arizona State University, underscores that true recovery should not merely focus on rebuilding but should also ensure that people can remain in their communities, care for 'āina (land), and pass on their knowledge and practices. The multitude of intersecting pressures is why Maunakea pursued this research. As climate change accelerates, persistent issues like housing, tourism harms, and plantation legacies can exacerbate health disparities. He warns that disasters like Maui's fires and recent floods and storms could widen these gaps in health disparities. The project will not only identify health risks but also empower residents to respond to them. Study participants receive their results, discuss them, and consult with health professionals. Maunakea envisions that people will become aware of potential hazards and learn how to mitigate them. While acknowledging the limitations of current knowledge, the project is committed to gaining a clearer picture and informing the community.",
  "summary": "The toxic exposures didn’t begin with the flames. Researchers are examining how fires affected a community already harmed by plantation agriculture, development, and colonialism. The post Long After the Maui Fires, Toxic Metals Linger in Residents’ Bodies appeared first on The Intercept .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Grist",
        "title": "Long after the Maui fires, toxic metals linger in residents’ bodies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/long-after-the-maui-fires-toxic-metals-linger-in-residents-bodies-14917219",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:45:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Intercept",
        "title": "Long After the Maui Fires, Toxic Metals Linger in Residents’ Bodies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/long-after-the-maui-fires-toxic-metals-linger-in-residents-bodies",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:45:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}