Takeaways from this week’s reports on the deadly 2023 Maui fire that destroyed Lahaina
8 months ago

Takeaways from this week’s reports on the deadly 2023 Maui fire that destroyed Lahaina

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — More than half a year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century burned through a historic Maui town, officials are still trying to determine exactly what went wrong and how to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The previous day, the Maui Fire Department put out an after-action report produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association. Here are the key takeaways from the reports: COMMUNICATION WAS A STRUGGLE AMID THE CHAOS A major windstorm was toppling power lines and utility poles throughout Lahaina, and the first fire of the day sparked when a live power line snapped and hit dry brush. In the early afternoon — before the initial fire flared back up and began overtaking the town — a utility worker told fire crews that he could not confirm if the lines were de-energized. RESOURCES WERE SCATTERED AND STRETCHED THIN Firefighters risked their lives again and again — packing survivors into fire trucks to get them to safety, physically carrying victims away from danger, and taking shelter behind their own disabled vehicles — according to Tuesday’s report.

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History of this topic

Maui wildfire survivors will get an additional year of housing help from FEMA
2 months, 1 week ago

Maui wildfire survivors will get an additional year of housing help from FEMA

NPR  

Maui wildfire survivors will get an additional year of housing help from FEMA toggle caption Jae C. Hong/AP LAHAINA, Hawaii — Survivors of last year's deadly wildfire that decimated a historic Maui town will receive an additional year of housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sponsor Message The deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century created uncertainty for many …

Maui wildfire survivors will get an additional year of housing help from FEMA
2 months, 1 week ago

Maui wildfire survivors will get an additional year of housing help from FEMA

LA Times  

The devastating wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, last year killed at least 102 people and displaced 12,000. Survivors of last year’s deadly wildfire that decimated a historic Maui town will receive an additional year of housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The housing assistance was set to end next February, but FEMA approved a one-year extension that will end …

Things to know about the investigations into the deadly wildfire that destroyed a Maui town
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Things to know about the investigations into the deadly wildfire that destroyed a Maui town

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Lawyers for people seeking compensation …

Deadly Maui fire erupted from earlier blaze believed to have been extinguished, investigation finds
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Deadly Maui fire erupted from earlier blaze believed to have been extinguished, investigation finds

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — The wildfire that killed at least 102 people on Maui last year erupted from an earlier brushfire, sparked by downed power lines, that firefighters believed they had extinguished, officials confirmed Wednesday as they presented their findings on the cause. “We deeply regret that our operations contributed to the fire that ignited in the morning,” Hawaiian Electric Co., the …

Maui Fire to release cause report on deadly US wildfire
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Maui Fire to release cause report on deadly US wildfire

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Maui Fire Department asked the ATF to help …

Deadly Maui fire sparked by earlier blaze believed to have been extinguished, investigation finds
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Deadly Maui fire sparked by earlier blaze believed to have been extinguished, investigation finds

LA Times  

The wildfire that killed at least 102 people on Maui last year erupted from an earlier brushfire, sparked by downed power lines, that firefighters believed they had extinguished, officials confirmed Wednesday as they presented their findings on the cause. “We deeply regret that our operations contributed to the fire that ignited in the morning,” Hawaiian Electric Co., the company whose …

Things to know about about the deadly wildfire that destroyed the Maui town of Lahaina
3 months, 1 week ago

Things to know about about the deadly wildfire that destroyed the Maui town of Lahaina

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Hawaii officials didn’t prepare for dangerous fire weather in the days before flames incinerated the historic Maui town of Lahaina even though they were warned by meteorologists, the state’s attorney general said Friday. An Associated Press investigation found the answer may lie in an overgrown gully beneath Hawaiian Electric Co. power lines and something that harbored smoldering embers …

Report Finds 'No Evidence' Hawaii Officials Prepared For Wildfire Despite Warnings
3 months, 1 week ago

Report Finds 'No Evidence' Hawaii Officials Prepared For Wildfire Despite Warnings

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING HONOLULU, Hawaii — Investigators reviewing the emergency response to last year’s devastating wildfire on Maui said in a report released Friday they found “no evidence” Hawaii officials made preparations for it, despite days of warnings that critical fire weather was about to arrive. But in the ensuing four days, the report found, there is no evidence that …

Report finds ‘no evidence’ Hawaii officials prepared for wildfire that killed 102 despite warnings
3 months, 1 week ago

Report finds ‘no evidence’ Hawaii officials prepared for wildfire that killed 102 despite warnings

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Investigators reviewing the emergency response to last year’s wildfire that killed 102 people on Maui said in a report released Friday they found “no evidence” Hawaii officials made preparations for it, despite days of warnings that critical fire weather was coming. But in the ensuing days, the report found, there is no evidence that key agencies — the …

Report finds 'no evidence' Hawaii officials prepared for devastating wildfire despite warnings
3 months, 1 week ago

Report finds 'no evidence' Hawaii officials prepared for devastating wildfire despite warnings

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Investigators reviewing the emergency response …

Hurricane Hone sweeps past Hawaii, dumping enough rain to ease wildfire fears
3 months, 4 weeks ago

Hurricane Hone sweeps past Hawaii, dumping enough rain to ease wildfire fears

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

‘We’re going to survive and it’s going to come back’: A year after Maui wildfire, Lahaina presses on
4 months, 2 weeks ago

‘We’re going to survive and it’s going to come back’: A year after Maui wildfire, Lahaina presses on

LA Times  

They have combed the ashes for mementos, worried about where they would sleep, questioned their faith and tried to find a way to grieve amid the great, unsettling devastation. “We’re going to survive and it’s going to come back.” The hall of historic Waiola Church burns last August along with nearby Hongwanji Mission, the Japanese Buddhist temple where Ai Hironaka …

A year after Maui’s deadly fires, the hills are still filled with flammable grass
4 months, 2 weeks ago

A year after Maui’s deadly fires, the hills are still filled with flammable grass

NPR  

A year after Maui’s deadly fires, the hills are still filled with flammable grass toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images LAHAINA, Hawaii — There’s heavy machinery — a large mower and excavator — parked in Gordon Firestein’s neighborhood, just south of Lahaina. “So it’s a high priority for us to deal with the vegetation, especially near the roads.” toggle caption Lauren …

Maui officials highlight steps toward rebuilding as 1-year mark of deadly wildfire approaches
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Maui officials highlight steps toward rebuilding as 1-year mark of deadly wildfire approaches

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Nearly a year after wind-whipped flames raced through Kim Ball’s Hawaii community, the empty lot where his house once stood is a symbol of some of the progress being made toward rebuilding after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. “Welcome to our neighborhood,” Ball said Wednesday as he greeted a van full of Hawaii …

75% of Maui wildfire survey participants are suffering from breathing problems, new study finds
7 months, 1 week ago

75% of Maui wildfire survey participants are suffering from breathing problems, new study finds

Hindustan Times  

A University of Hawaii study examining the health effects of last year's deadly wildfires on Maui found that up to 74% participants may have difficulty breathing and otherwise have poor respiratory health, and almost half showed signs of compromised lung function. Maui wildfire survivors urged to prioritize health check-ups amidst doctor shortage Many study participants hadn't seen a doctor, he …

Hawaii officials outline efforts to prevent another devastating wildfire ahead of a dry season
7 months, 1 week ago

Hawaii officials outline efforts to prevent another devastating wildfire ahead of a dry season

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — As Maui continues to recover from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, Hawaii officials are looking at preventing another similar disaster ahead of what is expected to be a dry, fire-prone season, Gov. Green warned of a “very dry season.” Officials highlighted wildfire preparation efforts, including expanding a network of remote weather stations, approval of …

Maui to hire expert to evaluate county’s response to deadly wildfire
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Maui to hire expert to evaluate county’s response to deadly wildfire

Associated Press  

WAILUKU, Hawaii — Nine months after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century struck Maui, Mayor Richard Bissen says the county will hire an outside expert to assess how its emergency management agency performed during the disaster. The agency isn’t able to perform its own “after-action report” because of staffing shortages, the county said in response to an …

Maui fire: Report details how it was no match for unprecedented blazes
8 months, 1 week ago

Maui fire: Report details how it was no match for unprecedented blazes

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — As unpredictable wildfires roared across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts, according to a report released Wednesday. The Maui Emergency Management Agency had posted to Facebook on …

Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fire, report says
8 months, 1 week ago

Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fire, report says

LA Times  

As wildfires ripped across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency was slow to return to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts, according to a report released this week. Maui Emergency Management Agency posted to Facebook Aug. 6 about a “serious fire …

Maui Fire Department report on deadly wildfire details need for more equipment and mutual aid plans
8 months, 1 week ago

Maui Fire Department report on deadly wildfire details need for more equipment and mutual aid plans

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — When wildfires broke out across Maui last August, some firefighters carried victims piggyback over downed power lines to safety and sheltered survivors inside their engines. But despite devoting nearly all the personnel and vehicles it had to the fight on Aug. 8, 2023, the Maui Fire Department was no match for an unprecedented series of blazes including one …

PHOTO GALLERY: A look at Lahaina in the 6 months since a wildfire destroyed the Maui town
10 months, 2 weeks ago

PHOTO GALLERY: A look at Lahaina in the 6 months since a wildfire destroyed the Maui town

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — It’s been six months since a wildfire leveled most of Lahaina, a centuries-old town on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Photos of victims are displayed under white crosses at a memorial for victims of the August 2023 wildfire, above the Lahaina Bypass highway, Dec. 6, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Josh Green is pushing owners of Maui’s many …

Better equipment and communications are among Maui police recommendations after Lahaina wildfire
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Better equipment and communications are among Maui police recommendations after Lahaina wildfire

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Nearly six months after a wildfire destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, the Maui Police Department said Monday it is working on improving its response to future tragedies, including by obtaining better equipment and stationing a high-ranking officer in the island’s communications center during emergencies. “The Maui Police Department, in collaboration with other emergency response agencies, worked tirelessly …

Scientists have a new theory on why the Maui wildfires were so devastating
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Scientists have a new theory on why the Maui wildfires were so devastating

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Four months ago, a series of wildfires devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui, killing at …

Heart of Hawaii's historic Lahaina, burned in wildfire, reopens to residents and business owners
1 year ago

Heart of Hawaii's historic Lahaina, burned in wildfire, reopens to residents and business owners

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The heart of Lahaina, the …

Maui officials on standby to stop heavy rains from sending ash into storm drains
1 year ago

Maui officials on standby to stop heavy rains from sending ash into storm drains

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Maui officials were on standby Wednesday to prevent ash from August’s deadly wildfire in Lahaina from flowing into storm drains after forecasters said a winter storm could bring heavy rain and strong winds to the island. The National Weather Service said rain falling at a rate of more than 1 inch per hour could trigger localized flooding …

Lessons from the blaze that levelled Lahaina
1 year, 1 month ago

Lessons from the blaze that levelled Lahaina

Hindustan Times  

WHEN KING Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian islands in the early 1800s, he made Lahaina the capital of his new kingdom. Two Lahaina residents have already filed a class-action lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, which serves 95% of Hawaiians, alleging that the utility was negligent in keeping its lines energised during dangerous weather conditions. Herman Andaya, Maui’s emergency management chief, has …

The power was out before the fires started. Then Hawaiian Electric flipped the switch.
1 year, 1 month ago

The power was out before the fires started. Then Hawaiian Electric flipped the switch.

Raw Story  

This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat. Under that protocol, she said, the only time a line can be re-energized is if it’s done manually and after an inspection has found it to be “clear and intact.” On Aug. 8, Kimura said Hawaiian Electric was following this protocol when it inspected and energized a transmission line at 6 …

Bodycam video shows police saving residents from Maui wildfire, keeping people out of burn zone
1 year, 1 month ago

Bodycam video shows police saving residents from Maui wildfire, keeping people out of burn zone

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — An officer sprinted from house to house in the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, alerting people to the approaching inferno. Stop being stubborn and get out of Lahaina now!” The roughly 20 hours of video depict the actions of Maui police officers on Aug. 8, when strong winds from a hurricane passing far to the south drove flames …

Maui police release 16 minutes of body camera footage from day of Lahaina wildfire
1 year, 1 month ago

Maui police release 16 minutes of body camera footage from day of Lahaina wildfire

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Maui police held a news …

AP Exclusive: 911 calls from deadly Lahaina wildfire reveal terror and panic in the rush to escape
1 year, 2 months ago

AP Exclusive: 911 calls from deadly Lahaina wildfire reveal terror and panic in the rush to escape

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Trapped in their cars, in homes or on the beach as flames, black smoke and embers swirled around them, people in the historic Maui town of Lahaina called 911, the one number that might send help or tell them what to do, where to go. “I cannot get out of my door — there’s flames blowing into …

AP Exclusive: 911 calls from deadly Lahaina wildfire reveal terror and panic in the rush to escape
1 year, 2 months ago

AP Exclusive: 911 calls from deadly Lahaina wildfire reveal terror and panic in the rush to escape

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Audio of 911 calls from a deadly August wildfire released late Thursday by Maui County authorities reveals a terrifying and chaotic scene as the inferno swept through the historic town of Lahaina and people desperately tried to escape burning homes and flames licking at cars in gridlocked traffic. “My mom and my baby are still out there,” …

Many questions but few answers in congressional hearing on Maui’s wildfire and electric provider
1 year, 2 months ago

Many questions but few answers in congressional hearing on Maui’s wildfire and electric provider

Associated Press  

Lawmakers probing the cause of last month’s deadly Maui wildfire did not get many answers during Thursday’s congressional hearing on the role the electrical grid played in the disaster. The president of Hawaiian Electric, Shelee Kimura, said she didn’t know specific details about when the power stopped flowing through downed power lines in Lahaina or when the decision was made …

Takeaways from AP report on Maui fire investigation
1 year, 2 months ago

Takeaways from AP report on Maui fire investigation

Associated Press  

Investigators are trying to solve a mystery about the origin of last month’s deadly Maui wildfire: How did a small, wind-whipped fire sparked by downed power lines and declared extinguished flare up again hours later into a devastating inferno that killed at least 97 people? The answer may lie in an overgrown gully beneath Hawaiian Electric Co. power lines and …

An old car tire, burnt trees and a utility pole may be key in finding how the Maui wildfire spread
1 year, 2 months ago

An old car tire, burnt trees and a utility pole may be key in finding how the Maui wildfire spread

Associated Press  

Melted remains of an old car tire. Asked about the overgrown gully, Hawaiian Electric said in a statement to AP that the right-of-way allows it to “remove anything that interferes with our lines and could potentially cause an outage” but does not allow it to ”go on to private property to perform landscaping or grass-mowing.” In this photo provided by …

Maui in Hawaii beckons tourists to stave off economic disaster after wildfires
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui in Hawaii beckons tourists to stave off economic disaster after wildfires

Hindustan Times  

Richie Olsten has been in Maui's helicopter tour business for a half century, so long he's developed a barometer for the tourism-dependent economy: rental cars parked at the island's airport. Hannemann called the situation “pretty grim.” One of Maui's most venerable restaurants, Hali'imaile General Store, laid off about 30 workers and temporarily closed after business shrank to one-tenth of pre-fire …

Things to know about aid, lawsuits and tourism nearly a month after fire leveled a Hawaii community
1 year, 3 months ago

Things to know about aid, lawsuits and tourism nearly a month after fire leveled a Hawaii community

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Nearly a month after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed at least 115 people, authorities on Maui are working their way through a list of the missing that has grown almost as quickly as names have been removed. Over the weekend Green posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, seeking to clarify, …

Forecasters are warning gusty winds and low humidity raise risk of fires spreading rapidly in Hawaii
1 year, 3 months ago

Forecasters are warning gusty winds and low humidity raise risk of fires spreading rapidly in Hawaii

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — The National Weather Service on Wednesday warned gusty winds and low humidity have increased the risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island, three weeks after a deadly blaze tore through a coastal Maui town during a similar alert. It said gusts, low humidity and dry grasses and trees could contribute to …

Unclear how many in Lahaina lost lives as Hawaii authorities near the end of their search for dead
1 year, 3 months ago

Unclear how many in Lahaina lost lives as Hawaii authorities near the end of their search for dead

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Crews in Hawaii have all but finished searching for victims of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, authorities said Tuesday, and it is unclear how many people perished. “We have wrapped up almost completely the search and recovery mission and moving into the next phase,” Darryl Oliveira, the interim administrator of the Maui Emergency Management …

Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters
1 year, 3 months ago

Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby and become the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. Hawaiian Electric Company released a statement Sunday night in response to Maui …

Hawaiian Electric says power lines started morning fire on August 8, but not afternoon Lahaina Fire
1 year, 3 months ago

Hawaiian Electric says power lines started morning fire on August 8, but not afternoon Lahaina Fire

CNN  

CNN — Hawaiian Electric Company said that power lines falling in high winds seem to have caused a fire during the early morning of August 8, but power lines in West Maui had been de-energized for more than six hours by the time a second afternoon fire began in the Lahaina area. In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the County of …

Evacuation order lifted after firefighters douse Maui brush fire near site of deadly Lahaina blaze
1 year, 3 months ago

Evacuation order lifted after firefighters douse Maui brush fire near site of deadly Lahaina blaze

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — An evacuation order following a brush fire that burned 10 acres on Maui was lifted by emergency officials Saturday. The fire prompted Maui authorities to temporarily evacuate residents Saturday from a neighborhood of Lahaina, just a few miles from the site recently ravaged by blazes, before firefighters brought it under control. The Maui County Emergency Management Agency …

US: Bush fire near site of deadly Maui blaze prompts authorities to evacuate citizens
1 year, 3 months ago

US: Bush fire near site of deadly Maui blaze prompts authorities to evacuate citizens

India TV News  

A brush fire burned 10 acres on Saturday and prompted Maui authorities to evacuate residents from a neighbourhood of Lahaina, just a few miles from the site recently ravaged by blazes before firefighters brought it under control. Firefighters doused flames from above using a helicopter and with hoses on the ground, said John Heggie, a spokesperson for Maui County’s Joint …

Maui police chief: Some fire victims may never be found
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui police chief: Some fire victims may never be found

Raw Story  

This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat. Maui Police Chief John Pelletier told reporters at a press conference that the number of confirmed fatalities has remained at 115 for days despite the fact that search crews using cadaver dogs to comb through the rubble were expected to have gone through the entire fire area by the end of …

Bare electrical wire and leaning poles on Maui were possible cause of deadly fires
1 year, 3 months ago

Bare electrical wire and leaning poles on Maui were possible cause of deadly fires

Associated Press  

In the first moments of the Maui fires, when high winds brought down power poles, slapping electrified wires to the dry grass below, there was a reason the flames erupted all at once in long, neat rows -- those wires were bare, uninsulated metal that could spark on contact. When the winds of Hurricane Dora lashed Maui Aug. 8, they …

As hundreds remain missing in Maui, electric company admits evidence to determine how wildfires started may have been compromised
1 year, 3 months ago

As hundreds remain missing in Maui, electric company admits evidence to determine how wildfires started may have been compromised

CNN  

CNN — Hundreds of people are still listed as unaccounted for after this month’s devastating wildfires on Maui – a number that’s expected to change as the FBI continues vetting names. Matthew Thayer/The Maui News/AP In pictures: The deadly Maui wildfires Prev Next Evidence may have been compromised, power company says As the human toll of the fire comes into …

Maui County sues power company, saying it didn’t turn off electricity during wildfires
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui County sues power company, saying it didn’t turn off electricity during wildfires

LA Times  

Maui County has sued Hawaiian Electric Co. over the fires that devastated Lahaina, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions. Hawaiian Electric said in a statement that it was “very disappointed that Maui County chose this litigious path while the investigation is still unfolding.” The lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that the …

Lahaina wants closure. Authorities plead for patience
1 year, 3 months ago

Lahaina wants closure. Authorities plead for patience

NPR  

Authorities plead for patience Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR LAHAINA, Hawaii — In the burn zone of Lahaina, the search and recovery effort continues in the wake of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years. Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR "This is a very devastating response," Sebastian says. Enlarge this …

Maui County sues power company, saying utility did not turn off electricity during deadly wildfires
1 year, 3 months ago

Maui County sues power company, saying utility did not turn off electricity during deadly wildfires

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Maui County sued Hawaiian Electric Company on Thursday over the fires that devastated Lahaina, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions. Hawaii Electric said in a statement it is “very disappointed that Maui County chose this litigious path while the investigation is still unfolding.” The lawsuit said the destruction …

Maui government files lawsuit, accuses Hawaiian electric company of causing Lahaina wildfires
1 year, 4 months ago

Maui government files lawsuit, accuses Hawaiian electric company of causing Lahaina wildfires

CNN  

CNN — Maui County filed a lawsuit Thursday against Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries, alleging that the utility company’s negligence caused the devastating wildfires that burned thousands of acres of land in the state and killed more than 100 people earlier this month. HECO is also the subject of a proposed class-action lawsuit filed earlier this month that accused …

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