Hawaii wildfire News

Maui Fire Caused by Broken Power Lines, County and US Find

The fire that razed the historic Maui town of Lahaina last year was caused when Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. re-energized broken utility lines that caused sparks to ignite unmaintained dry vegetation, the Maui Fire Department said. The blaze was a …

Hawaii Probe Finds No Single Factor Led to Maui Wildfire Losses

No single factor led a fire in the seaside Hawaiian town of Lahaina last year to rage out of control and kill 102 people, according to a state report that assesses the government’s response to the disaster but not its …

Judge Agrees to Ask State Supreme Court About Barriers to $4B Hawaii Wildfire Settlement

The Hawaii Supreme Court will be asked to weigh in on an issue that threatens to thwart a $4 billion settlement in last year’s devastating Maui wildfires. Judge Peter Cahill on Maui agreed to ask the state high court questions …

Hawaiian Electric Settles Fire Claims as Part of $4 Billion Deal

Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. has agreed to pay almost $2 billion as part of a $4 billion settlement to resolve hundreds of lawsuits over wildfires in Maui that killed dozens of people and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina last …

Allstate, State Farm Sued Over $4 Billion Maui Fire Settlement

A half-dozen Maui wildfire victims sued a group of insurers, including State Farm and Allstate, accusing them of throwing a wrench into a tentative $4 billion deal to settle their claims. The lawsuit filed Friday in state court in Maui …

Hawaii Electric Takes Responsibility for First Fire on Maui, But Faults Firefighters

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 …

Shareholders Sue Hawaiian Electric Over Maui Wildfires

Shareholders of Hawaiian Electric HE.N on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the utility provider in a San Francisco federal court, alleging the company’s failure to disclose important information about its wildfire prevention and safety protocols. Hawaiian’s protocols and procedures were …

County of Maui Sues Hawaiian Electric for Negligence Leading to Wildfires

The county of Maui, Hawaii, on Thursday sued Hawaiian Electric HE.N accusing the power company of acting negligently by failing to shut down its equipment despite warnings hurricane winds could knock power lines down, sparking wildfires. The county said downed …

Maui Fire Victims Pursue Legal Tactic That Led to $13.5 Billion California Settlement

Hawaii property owners are seizing on a legal shortcut used by fire victims in California to secure compensation from Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. for damages following the fires that ravaged Maui. The strategy, which doesn’t require proving negligence, helped push …

Severe Weather Set to Boost U.S. Disaster Funding Needs, FEMA Says

Growing extreme-weather risks mean President Joe Biden’s expected request for billions in extra disaster-relief funding might not be enough for the next fiscal year, FEMA head Deanne Criswell said. Biden’s roughly $12 billion request would cover the spending year ending …