Investigators reveal what caused Maui wildfire that killed at least 102 people in one of the deadliest blazes in more than a century
Investigators have revealed what caused the Maui wildfire that killed at least 102 people in one of the deadliest blazes this century has seen.
Investigators have revealed what caused the Maui wildfire that killed at least 102 people in one of the deadliest blazes this century has seen.
The source of the catastrophic wildfire was from a brushfire sparked by downed power lines.
The August 8, 2023, blaze emerged in the afternoon and was driven by strong, erratic winds.
It ripped through the town of Lahaina and destroyed thousands of buildings - trapping people in their cars and forcing residents to flee into the ocean.
Its been unclear whether the blaze was a separate fire or a rekindling of the morning fire, and whether firefighters should have left the scene after they spent hours dousing it.
Investigators revealed on Wednesday what caused the Maui wildfire that killed at least 102 people in one of the deadliest blazes this century has seen
The source of the catastrophic wildfire was from a brushfire sparked by downed power lines
Its been unclear whether the blaze was a separate fire or a rekindling of the morning fire, and whether firefighters should have left the scene after they spent hours dousing it
The answers could prove significant to questions about liability for the destruction, though a tentative $4 billion settlement has been reached.
In presenting their findings, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maui Fire Department did not address liability but found that the wildfire was clearly a rekindling of the morning fire - most likely from winds blowing an undetected ember into a dry, overgrown gully nearby.
A representative for Hawaiian Electric Company said in a statement on Wednesday: We deeply regret that our operations contributed to the fire that ignited in the morning.
Confronted by an extraordinary weather event and a chaotic situation, our employees brought their best efforts to their jobs, as they do every day.
The officials stressed that Maui firefighters had done all they could to put out the morning fire before leaving to address other calls for service on a day when other fires were burning around the island.
An ATF agent said: They deployed countless resources, spent an extensive amount of time on the scene, and observed the scene after they believed it was extinguished. So, yes, I do believe they did everything possible.
The answers could prove significant to questions about liability for the destruction, though a tentative $4 billion settlement has been reached
In presenting their findings, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maui Fire Department did not address liability but found that the wildfire was clearly a rekindling of the morning fire - most likely from winds blowing an undetected ember into a dry, overgrown gully nearby
While wind was the most likely cause of the fires rekindling, the ATFs report said investigators could not rule out another possibility.
The operator of a bulldozer, trying to help firefighters contain the blaze, could have unwittingly pushed smoldering debris to the gully´s edge - only to have it erupt in flames hours later.
The close proximity of the freshly cut firebreak to the western edge of the gully does not afford investigators the ability to rule out the possibility that while cutting the firebreak, the operator unknowingly moved still burning vegetation or smoldering debris into the gully, the report said.
The owner of the company that provided the bulldozer told ATF investigators less than two weeks after the fire that he had shown up because a friend who lived nearby asked for help.
A representative for Hawaiian Electric Company said in a statement on Wednesday: We deeply regret that our operations contributed to the fire that ignited in the morning
The operator of a bulldozer, trying to help firefighters contain the blaze, could have unwittingly pushed smoldering debris to the gully´s edge - only to have it erupt in flames hours later
The owner did not respond to several requests for a follow-up interview, the report said. Neither the owner nor members of his crew were identified in the report.
A video in the report was filmed from inside the bulldozer, and showed it piling loose soil and burned vegetation at the edge of the gully.
Bulldozers driven by volunteers and contractors are frequently used to protect towns and farms from wildfires across western U.S. - though some groups have questioned their effectiveness in extreme weather conditions.
The ATF report was included as an appendix in a report from the Maui Fire Department, which asked the agency last year to help determine how the fire started.
Several other agencies have also investigated the fire and the response to it, detailing the poor conditions - including emergency response missteps - that contributed to the tragic outcome.
A video in the report was filmed from inside the bulldozer and showed it piling loose soil and burned vegetation at the edge of the gully.
Several other agencies have also investigated the fire and the response to it, detailing the poor conditions - including emergency response missteps - that contributed to the tragic outcome
A series of blunders by emergency officials and power company Hawaiian Electric left the residents of Lahaina with no warning of the impending disaster and without water to fight the flames as the electric pumps shut down when the power failed
A series of blunders by emergency officials and power company Hawaiian Electric left the residents of Lahaina with no warning of the impending disaster and without water to fight the flames as the electric pumps shut down when the power failed.
Herman Andaya, 51, the official tasked with overseeing emergency preparations, resigned after the wildfire citing health problems but had been heavily criticized for failing to sound emergency sirens that could have alerted people to the fire.
Maui County sued Hawaiian Electric over its alleged failure to maintain power lines properly while the Maui Fire Department had been criticized for failing to completely stamp out a small bush fire it said was contained that later flared up into a deadly blaze.
Hawaiian Electric didnt originally take responsibility for the the fire and said it was unrelated to the downed powerlines.
Thousands of Lahaina residents have sued various parties they believe to be at fault for the fire, including Hawaiian Electric, Maui County and the state of Hawaii.
Hawaiian Electric didnt originally take responsibility for the the fire and said it was unrelated to the downed powerlines PICTURED: Representative Morgan Griffith, a Republican from Virginia and ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, during a hearing on the Maui wildfires in Washington, DC on September 28
Thousands of Lahaina residents have sued various parties they believe to be at fault for the fire, including Hawaiian Electric, Maui County and the state of Hawaii
Exactly who was responsible for clearing brush and maintaining area has also been a point of contention among the defendants, along with the utilitys lack of a public safety power shut-off program
The defendants have often tried to point fingers at each other, with Hawaiian Electric saying the county shouldnt have left the first fire unattended, and Maui County contending the electric utility failed to take proper care with the power grid.
Exactly who was responsible for clearing brush and maintaining area has also been a point of contention among the defendants, along with the utilitys lack of a public safety power shut-off program.
A few days before the one-year anniversary of the wildfires, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced a $4 billion settlement. That´s the amount the defendants - including Hawaiian Electric, the state, Maui County, large landowners and others - have agreed to pay to settle claims.
But the deal is tied up in court, awaiting a decision from Hawaii Supreme Court on whether insurance companies can go after the defendants separately to recoup what they´ve paid to policyholders.
Lawyers for people seeking compensation fear allowing insurance companies to sue Hawaiian Electric and others will subvert the deal, drain what is available to pay fire victims and lead to prolonged litigation.
