West Maui to expand reopening on Nov. 1 following deadly wildfires

• For the first time since the deadly blazes devastated parts of Maui in August, nearly all of West Maui will be accessible to visitors, AP reported.

State of play: Hawai'i Democratic Gov. Josh Green declared last month that West Maui would reopen to visitors on Oct. 8, with the end of all travel restrictions.

• Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen amended Green's declaration with a phased reopening plan, AP reported.
• The reopening on Nov. 1 will serve as a combination of the remaining two phases that had been planned, the county said in a statement Monday.
• Although most of West Maui will be open to visitors, the burned sections of historic Lahaina will remain closed, per AP.

Worth noting: The phased reopening approach was developed for residents to return to work, establish child care and settle children into school, the county said.

• This phased system was also to "provide for a more deliberate process to help with housing needs for the thousands in temporary shelter at many hotel properties."

Zoom out: The county is still focused on sheltering 7,000 survivors, Bissen said in the statement.

• "The decision followed many discussions with the Mayorʻs Lāhainā Advisory Team, the American Red Cross and other partners, as well as listening carefully to community feedback describing the overall transition as smooth during the first phase of re-opening," the county said.

Go deeper: Out of the ashes