{
  "id": 19986686,
  "title": "The scientists fighting to help Maui wildfire survivors heal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/the-scientists-fighting-to-help-maui-wildfire-survivors-heal",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-14T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Grist",
    "slug": "grist",
    "url": "https://grist.org/wildfires/the-scientists-fighting-to-help-maui-wildfire-survivors-heal/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ruben Juarez and his partner Alika Maunakea, both professors at the University of Hawaiʻi, established the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) in the aftermath of devastating wildfires that struck Maui in August 2023. The fires claimed at least 102 lives, displaced nearly 13,000 residents, and destroyed over 2,200 buildings, with only 15 percent of the destroyed structures having been rebuilt three years later.\n\nThe MauiWES was conceived as a rapid response effort to monitor the health impacts of the fires on survivors. Three years and 2,500 participants later, the study has evolved into a research-intervention model, offering survivors free testing, therapy, food assistance, cash support, and help connecting with healthcare professionals. For some, the study has even been credited with saving their lives.\n\nDespite its success, MauiWES faces a critical challenge: its renewal is uncertain due to dwindling federal support. Critical federal funding, essential for extending the study for at least another decade, was in jeopardy just as the researchers arrived at the Lahaina Comprehensive Health Center on a Saturday morning in May. With state funding falling through, Juarez and Maunakea found themselves at what may be their final opportunity to assess the survivors' wellbeing and determine the necessary support.\n\nDuring their appointment, Lisa and Nilsson Panis, two siblings born and raised in Lahaina, underwent a comprehensive health assessment that included blood tests, lung function evaluations, mental health screenings, and compensation for their time. The Panises were among those who have experienced mental and physical health struggles since the fires, and they are still residing in temporary housing. Despite the challenges they face, Maunakea remains resolute, believing that the study must continue to address the pressing needs of the survivors.",
  "summary": "A wildfire exposure study in Hawaiʻi created a new blueprint for public health research and support after disasters — but funding was drying up. Could the organizers keep it afloat?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}