Crosses with photos dedicated to those who died in the Lahaina wildfire were adorned with lei and Hawaiian flags Saturday on the third anniversary. “The scale of the Lahaina fire was unlike anything Maui County had ever experienced,” he said. Since the fires, Maui County has expanded its emergency management agency, strengthened coordination among departments, invested in new emergency communication systems and increased staffing to better prepare for future disasters. Looking beyond Lahaina, Thompson said Hawaii’s leaders should assume another catastrophic wildfire will occur somewhere in the islands. Thompson said she hopes future communities studying Lahaina’s recovery will recognize that strong leadership can shape the success of long-term disaster recovery.