The town of Lahaina, one year after a wildfire tore through it. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
Officials in Hawaii have released a 300-page report outlining the cause and origin of Maui’s devastating 2023 wildfire. The investigation, which was conducted by the Maui Fire Department with help from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, determined that the blaze unfolded in two phases from a single source: electrical power lines on Lahainaluna Road.
According to the Maui Fire Department, sparks from broken power lines ignited dry vegetation around 6:30 am on the morning of August 8, 2023. Firefighters were able to put that blaze out by 9 am, however, embers from that same fire reignited several hours later thanks to strong afternoon winds.
“We want to make abundantly clear to the community that our firefighters went above and beyond their due diligence to be as confident as they could be that the fire was completely extinguished before they left the scene,” Maui Assistant Chief Jeffrey Giesea said.
The reports says gale force winds reached speeds up to 60 mph that afternoon. It concludes that the cause of the blaze was accidental.
In all, the massive wildfire caused more than $5 billion in damage and left thousands on the island homeless or displaced. In August of this year, Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced a settlement worth $4.037 billion meant to aid residents still impacted by the fire.
“My priority as Governor was to expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible,” said Green “Settling a matter like this within a year is unprecedented, and it will be good that our people don’t have to wait to rebuild their lives as long as others have in many places that have suffered similar tragedies.”
