The Comprehensive Report on the Needs and Recovery of Filipino Survivors of the Lahaina Fires, the first research report to specifically focus on Filipino survivors of the 2023 Lahaina fires.
A total of 757 Filipino fire survivors were surveyed and interviewed over the course of 16 months for this project. Filipinos represented an estimated 40% of Lahaina’s population —nearly twice the state average—but no research has been published to understand Filipinos’ unique experiences of the fire and recovery needs.
The Comprehensive Report on the Needs and Recovery of FIlipino Survivors of the Lahaina Fires breaks new ground. The report was made possible through support from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Organizing Resilience, and was produced by a team of Filipino researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa that included the Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, Pinerds (a consortium of Hawaiʻi’s Filipino health researchers), and the Hawaiʻi Workers Center.
Equality in Flames is the first gender-focused report on the impacts of wildfire disaster in Hawaiʻi, specifically analyzing the aftermath of the August 2023 Lahaina fire. Produced by Tagnawa, the report centers women's experiences—particularly those of Filipino women—and highlights how disaster response systems often reinforce systemic inequalities and patriarchal structures. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, it presents a community-led approach grounded in the Jemez Principles and Just Transition framework to call for more equitable disaster preparedness, response, and recovery models.
This report is critical not only for local and national policy reform but also contributes to global discussions around climate resilience and gender justice. By amplifying the voices of women most affected by environmental disasters and identifying the gaps in current relief systems, Equality in Flames offers transformative, community-based solutions for organizers, government agencies, and aid organizations. It underscores the urgency of reimagining disaster response through a gender lens to prevent further harm and build resilience in marginalized communities worldwide.
