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☆ Hawaii wildfires 2023: New report details problems and heroism from Maui’s disastrous infernos
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Holly Yan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Among them: Chief officers and some Maui Fire Department staff used “WhatsApp” for situational awareness updates, but not everyone in the department used the app. Despite this, the collective actions by MFD and law enforcement saved many lives and property across the island,” the report says. “Battalion Chiefs initiated upstaffing for some resources on the morning of August 8” – the day the four major wildfires ignited. “MFD requested law enforcement to facilitate evacuations over the radio. “That is still under investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura said Tuesday.

Persons: ” “, “, ”, Anne Lopez, –, upstaffing, Brad Ventura, ” Ventura, Ventura Organizations: CNN, Maui Fire Department, National Weather Service, Western Fire Chiefs Association, Staff, Hawaii’s, Fire Safety Research Institute, BCs, State, “ Battalion Chiefs, ICS, Incident Command, Hawaiian Electric Company, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives Locations: Maui, “, Lahaina

☆ Maui wildfire: Hawaiian Electric says power lines started morning fire on August 8, but not afternoon Lahaina Fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Natasha Chen Anna-Maja Rappard Cheri Mossburg | Natasha Chen | Anna-Maja Rappard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

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. The company made the comments in a new response Sunday to a lawsuit filed by the County of Maui. In a press release, HECO mentioned videos showing that power lines had fallen to the ground in high winds near the intersection of Lahainaluna Road and Hookahua Street at approximately 6:30am. But that morning fire was declared 100% contained by the Maui County Fire Department by 9am, they said. By the time the Maui County Fire Department arrived back on the scene, it was not able to contain that fire, and it spread out of control toward Lahaina, the release says.

Persons: “ inexcusably, HECO, ”, John Fiske, “, Fiske, Shelee Kimura, ” Kimura Organizations: CNN, Hawaiian Electric Company, National Weather Service, Watch, Maui County Fire Department, Hawaiian Electric, Intermediate, ” CNN Locations: West Maui, Lahaina, County, Maui, Maui County

☆ Maui wildfires: Nearly 400 remain unaccounted for in Maui after deadly wildfires, FBI-curated list shows -- a big decline from prior estimates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Michelle Watson Kelly Mccleary Cheri Mossburg Anna-Maja Rappard Natasha Chen | Michelle Watson | Kelly Mccleary | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Search crews and cadaver dogs have searched 100% of single-story homes in the disaster area, Maui County officials said Tuesday. Sarah Salmonese sits where her apartment once stood in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Friday, August 11. “Our primary focus in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy has been to do everything we can to support not just the people of Maui, but also Maui County. Hawaiian Electric Company serves 95% of the state’s customer base. CNN has reached out to Maui County and the Maui Police Department for comment on Krau’s claims.

Persons: who’s, “, John Pelletier, Josh Green, geolocating, Steven Merrill, Sarah Salmonese, Go Nakamura, Ken Alba, Jae C, Yuki Iwamura, Patrick T, Fallon, Bryan Anselm, Mike Blake, Matthew A, Foster, Rick Bowmer, Lauren Haley, Makalea Ahhee, Justin Sullivan, Max Whittaker, Zoltan Balogh, Robert Gauthier, Mengshin Lin, Evelio Contreras, CNN Vixay Phonxaylinkham, Lana, Phonoxaylinkham, Marco Garcia, Claire Rush, Myrna Ah Hee, Sui, Ty O'Neil, Ku'u Kauanoe, ZUMA, Matthew Thayer, John Moore, it’s, Jim Kelly, ”, Darren Pai, “ inexcusably, John Fiske, ‘, Nicholas Krau, ” Krau, Krau Organizations: CNN, FBI, ” Police, ”, Analysis, New York Times, Getty, Reuters, Staff, US Army National Guard, Maui Police, Facility, AP Volunteers, Grace Baptist, Volunteers, Los Angeles Times, AP, Washington Post, Kahului Airport, Technologies, Kahului, AP Helicopters, Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters Residents, ZUMA Passengers, Maui News, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Electric Company, ATF, Electric, National Weather Service, Watch, State of Hawaii Organization of Police, Maui Police Department Locations: Maui, Maui County, ” Hawaii, Lahaina –, Hawaii, Lahaina , Hawaii, Lahaina, AFP, Wahikuli, Wailuku, Kula , Hawaii, Kula, Kihei, West Maui, Grace, Napili, Honokowai, Honolulu, Maalaea, Kahului, California, Las Vegas, Church, Lahaina Hongwanji, Olinda

☆ Maui government files lawsuit, accuses Hawaiian electric company of causing Lahaina wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Maui County is seeking damages from HECO that may total tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, according to John Fiske, an attorney representing the county in the lawsuit. “Our primary focus in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy has been to do everything we can to support not just the people of Maui, but also Maui County. We are very disappointed that Maui County chose this litigious path while the investigation is still unfolding,” a spokesperson from Hawaiian Electric told CNN in a statement. Hawaiian Electric Company is a for-profit company that serves 95% of Hawaii’s customer base and trades on the New York Stock Exchange. This isn’t the first time a utility company has been blamed for its alleged role in a powerful wildfire in recent years.

Persons: “ inexcusably, John Fiske, “, ” Jim Kelly, Fiske, ”, CNN’s Anna, Maja Rappard, Natasha Chen, Afshar Organizations: CNN, Hawaiian Electric Company, National Weather Service, Watch, Hawaiian Electric, New York Stock Exchange, Pacific Gas Locations: Maui County, HECO, Maui, Hawaiian, California, Lahaina, Kula, Olinda

The new lawsuit, first obtained by NBC News, alleges that Hawaiian Electric helped set the stage for the monstrous wildfires last week. The plaintiffs allege years of inaction and negligence by the utility company, and argue that the firm should have had plans in place to shut down power systems before fierce winds blew across Hawaii. "Hawaiian Electric is not just responsible and they weren't just negligent," said Mikal Watts, a lead attorney on the case. Hawaiian Electric Company declined to comment on the pending lawsuits, saying that would violate an internal policy. Darren Pai, a spokesperson for the company, said Hawaiian Electric was aware of the allegations but remained focused on restoring power to Maui.

Persons: Mikal Watts, Darren Pai, Watts, Pai Organizations: NBC News, Electric, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Locations: Lahaina , Hawaii, Hawaii, Maui, California, Lahaina

Those winds also battered power lines on the island, and dramatic videos show lines swaying and being toppled in the gusts. Now, some locals are casting blame on Hawaiian Electric, the state’s biggest utility, for not shutting off power to high-risk areas – and claiming that its power lines could have sparked the deadly fire. State officials were well aware of the danger posed by downed power lines during hurricanes. A 2021 state report noted that “downed power lines” and “residential and wildland fires” were hazards related to hurricanes. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said Thursday that power lines that were “still energized” had fallen on the roads.

Persons: Shane Treu, Treu, ” Treu, kindling, Lisa Treu, –, ”, “, Hurricane Dora, “ inexcusably, Jim Kelly, ” Kelly, Kelly, Richard Bissen, Yuri Iwamura, hydrants –, Cole Millington, Millington, Bradford Ventura, Adam Weintraub, ” Weintraub, Jill Tokuda, Keahi Ho, John Stufflebean, Josh Green, Anne Lopez, ” Green, “ It’s, Dora, Abby Frazier, Dora inched, Josh Stanbro Organizations: CNN, Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters, Electric, National Weather Service, Hawaiian Electric Company, Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, Maui, Volunteers, Getty, Facebook, Bradford, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Democrat, New York Times, Maui County Department of Water Supply, Times, Government, Hawaii Gov, Clark University Locations: Mauna, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, County, California, Paradise, West Maui, Maalaea, AFP, “, Maui County, United States, Massachusetts

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