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☆ Helene’s survivors shoulder catastrophic loss and destruction after storm leaves at least 213 dead
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Community volunteers carry gas at a relief area and community coordination center in Bills Creek, North Carolina, on Thursday. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty ImagesMen remove items from a fine arts business in Marshall, North Carolina, on Thursday. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty ImagesA volunteer helps clean out a flooded crawlspace under a home impacted by Hurricane Helene in Cruso, North Carolina, on Thursday. In North Carolina, guard members have been dropping in supplies from the air and airlifting people and pets to safety. President Joe Biden visits an area affected by Hurricane Helene in Keaton Beach, Florida, on Thursday.

Persons: Helene, Joe Dancy, CNN’s Laura Coates, ” Helene, Allison Joyce, Polly Trottenberg, Frank Matranga, ” Matranga, Melissa Sue Gerrits, Hurricane Helene, Jonathan Drake, Helene ., Jaclyn Rothenberg, we’re, Alejandro Mayorkas, Matranga, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Mandel Ngan, Joe Biden's, Tom Brenner, Eddie Hunnell, Hunnell, Phil Worth, Leslie, couldn’t, Phil, “, ” Hunnell, ”, Leslie Worth, “ Leslie, “ I‘d, CNN Hunnell, CNN’s Kayla Tausche, Sam Fossum, Haley Talbot, Sara Smart, Emma Tucker, Andy Rose, Steve Almasy Organizations: CNN, Hurricane, Community, Getty, US Transportation Department, Reuters Cell, National Guard, FEMA, Homeland, Reuters Local, Small, Republicans, SBA Locations: Virginia, Carolina’s Buncombe County, Asheville, tatters, Swannanoa , North Carolina, United States, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Bills, , North Carolina, AFP, Marshall , North Carolina, Cruso , North Carolina, Hurricane, Keaton Beach , Florida, Grassy Creek , North Carolina, Worth

There is no evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set, Maui Fire and Public Safety Chief Bradford Ventura said. The Lahaina fire was one of three wildfires that ignited on Maui that day; the report did not address the two other, less-destructive fires. Since last year, thousands of residents have sued Hawaiian Electric, Maui County and the state of Hawaii over the fire. The utility has acknowledged that one of its downed power lines ignited a blaze early that morning off Lahainaluna Road in the hills above Lahaina. Maui County announced a few hours later that firefighters had fully contained it.

Persons: Bradford Ventura, Jeffrey Giesea, “, Giesea, Jonathan Blais, Josh Green Organizations: Maui Fire Department, U.S . Bureau, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Investigators, Maui Fire, Public Safety, ”, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian, Electric Co, Hawaii Gov, Associated Press Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, Seattle, Maui County

☆ Deadly Maui fire erupted from earlier blaze believed to have been extinguished, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A Hawaiian Electric power line fell early on the morning of Aug. 8, sparking a fire in overgrown brush near the edge of town. Pictures and crosses are displayed at a public hillside memorial to Lahaina wildfire victims on August 1, 2024 in Lahaina, Hawaii. First responders also had trouble getting a firm answer from Hawaiian Electric representatives if the power had been cut to the area. That’s the amount the defendants — including Hawaiian Electric, the state, Maui County, large landowners and others — have agreed to pay to settle claims. 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.

Persons: Josh Green, Mario Tama, — Organizations: Honolulu AP, US, of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Maui Fire Department, Getty, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Gov, Electric, Hawaii Supreme, policyholders Locations: Honolulu, Maui, Lahaina, Lahaina , Hawaii, West Maui, Hawaii, California, Paradise, Maui County

☆ Report finds ‘no evidence’ Hawaii officials prepared for Maui wildfire that killed 102 despite warnings
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Honolulu (AP) — 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. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency didn’t immediately respond with comment. Maui fire commanders discussed the forecast, but “no evidence of pre-event preparedness plans by the MFD were produced,” the report said. Maui County and the state use private contractors to help fight fires with water tankers and heavy equipment. And despite the warnings, the heads of the county emergency management agency and the Maui Fire Department were off-island that day, attending conferences in Honolulu.

Persons: —, Anne Lopez, Maui’s, Richard Bissen, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency didn’t, weren’t, Firefighters, ” Derek Alkonis Organizations: — Investigators, National Weather Service, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Maui Fire Department, Maui Police, Hawaiian Electric Co, Firefighters, Fire Safety Research Institute, Maui Police Department Locations: Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, State, Maui County, West Maui

☆ Plaintiffs in Maui wildfire case reach $4 billion settlement against Hawaiian Electric and others
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Luciana Lopez | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The governor of Hawaii on Friday announced a $4 billion settlement to resolve lawsuits stemming from the wildfires that devastated Maui last year. The defendants include the state of Hawai‘i, County of Maui, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, West Maui Land Co., Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum/Charter Communications, according to the release. ”Our objective is to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again,” Shelee Kimura, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, said in a statement. Pictures and crosses are displayed at a public hillside memorial to Lahaina wildfire victims on August 1, 2024 in Lahaina, Hawaii. August 8 marks the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires which killed 102 people and devastated the historic community of Lahaina in West Maui.

Persons: Josh Green’s, ” Green, ” Shelee Kimura, Mario Tama Organizations: CNN, Hawaii Gov, Electric, Kamehameha Schools, Maui Land Co, Charter Communications, Hawaiian Electric, Green, Maui Locations: Hawaii, Maui, Hawai‘i , County, Lahaina, Lahaina , Hawaii, West Maui, Mario, Kula, Olinda

☆ Woman who escaped California wildfire just before son’s birth is forced to flee another while pregnant again
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Taylor Galgano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

And the PSTD from the Camp Fire kicked in instantly, especially with how big the cloud of smoke was,” Penick said. She has received one payment so far, and she used it to pay for her car and the rent on her Oroville house in advance, she told CNN. Penick also just found out she’s pregnant, just like she was when she had to flee the Camp Fire in 2018. Seeing my big old pregnant belly, he said ‘get in.’”She found out her house burned down about six or seven weeks later. We’ve been friends for a good almost 10 to 15 years.”Penick is waiting to hear more about her Oroville house.

Persons: Penick, Thompson, ” Penick, “, ”, I’ve, Andrew ., Butch, ‘, “ I’m, We’ve Organizations: CNN, Camp, National Fire Protection, Fire, Pacific Gas & Electric Locations: Oroville , California, Paradise, Maui, Oroville, Butte County

☆ 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

☆ How a warming climate is setting the stage for fast-spreading, destructive wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This fire adds to an ever-lengthening list of rapidly spreading, destructive wildfires in the US and elsewhere. To understand why the Texas fires have been so fierce you have to look to last spring, said Luke Kanclerz, a fire analyst at Texas A&M Forest Service. It only took a short period of warm, dry weather for them to dry out further, providing a carpet for the fire to spread. Yuki Iwamura/AFP/Getty ImagesScientists are still working to understand what impact, if any, global warming is having on the winds that whip up wildfires. Research has found climate change is fueling the rapid intensification of hurricanes, pushing storms to explode at a deadly pace.

Persons: it’s, Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, ”, John Abatzoglou, Luke Kanclerz, Kanclerz, Mike Flannigan, Abatzoglou, “ There’s, ” John Nielsen, Gammon, Yuki Iwamura, Dora, Kaitlyn Trudeau, Trudeau, ” CNN’s Rachel Ramirez Organizations: CNN, United, European Union, Canadian Forces, Reuters, University of California, ”, Texas, M, Service, Texas Panhandle, University of Alberta, Getty, Climate Central, The Locations: United States, Maui, California, Paradise, Canada, Greece, Chile, Mistissini, Quebec, Merced, Texas, Hawaii, West Texas, Gammon , Texas, Lahaina, AFP, Hawaii’s, The Texas, Plains

☆ Hawaiian Electric Starts Rolling Outages Due to Loss of Generators
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -Utility firm Hawaiian Electric said on Tuesday it had begun rolling outages on Hawaii Island due to the unavailability and reduced output from several large generators. The Honolulu-based power company said its largest generator, Hamakua Energy, unexpectedly tripped offline late Tuesday afternoon and Puna Geothermal Venture was operating at a reduced capacity. Hawaiian Electric added one of its combustion turbines had tripped offline on Tuesday evening on the island, which contains the towns of Hilo and Kona. 5, Keahole CT-5, and Puna Steam Plant also are unavailable due to planned annual maintenance or repairs. Hawaiian Electric said the timing and extent of the outages would depend on the amount of demand on the system and the availability of generators.

Persons: Keahole, Gursimran Kaur, Brijesh Patel, Janane Venkatraman, Jamie Freed Organizations: Reuters, Electric, Energy, Geothermal Venture, Puna Steam Locations: Hawaii, Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, Puna, Maui, Bengaluru

The credible data that exists on crimes motivated by conspiracy theories shows a disturbing increase. Many of those charged said they had bought into Trump’s conspiracy theories about a stolen election. “Lies, lies lies: They're lying to you over and over and over again,” said Steve Girard, a Pennsylvania man who has protested the incarceration of Jan. 6 defendants. While they may have taken on a bigger role in our politics, surveys show that belief in conspiracy theories hasn't changed much over the years, according to Joe Uscinski, a University of Miami professor and an expert on the history of conspiracy theories. Russia has amplified numerous anti-U.S. conspiracy theories, including ones claiming the U.S. runs secret germ warfare labs and created HIV as a bioweapon, as well as conspiracy theories accusing Ukraine of being a Nazi state.

Persons: ”, Nash, Melissa Sell, Sell, Elon Musk, There's, Evan Hansen, Wired.com, Musk, It’s, ” Hansen, Donald Trump, Trump, Mark Milley, Milley, Laws, Vince Lynch, Lynch, Danielle Citron, Sandy, —, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, Hillary Clinton, chemtrails, “, hospitalizations, Robert Palmer, they're, Steve Girard, Jan, hasn't, Joe Uscinski, ” Uscinski, “ Jan, Tom Fishman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., United, Big Tech, Meta, Facebook, titans, Army, University of Maryland’s National Consortium, University of Virginia School of Law, Sandy Hook Elementary, CNN, FBI, Capitol, The Associated Press, Trump, University of Miami, Twitter, United States, U.S, . Locations: Maui, Chile, America, United States, Pennsylvania, U.S, Israel, Newtown , Connecticut, Florida, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Russia, China, Iran, Ukraine, Nazi

“The people of Maui have shown strength in the face of adversity," said Green, a Democrat. Green aims for all 5,000 to move into long-term housing by March 1 in part by encouraging owners of vacation rentals to make their units available to wildfire evacuees. More broadly and longer-term, Green proposed a two-year “tax amnesty” to encourage owners of vacation rentals around the state to sell to owner-occupants or long-term rental landlords. Democratic House leaders identified common priorities with the governor, particularly on affordable housing, mental health care and climate change. “We need to solve problems in our state, and we need to find solutions that are going to be workable,” Saiki said.

Persons: Josh Green, Keahi Ho, Koa Bonnell —, Dee Morikawa, ” Morikawa, Green, ”, ” Green, Kyle Yamashita, ” Yamashita, Scott Saiki, Saiki Organizations: —, Democrat, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Democratic, Finance Locations: HONOLULU, — Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, Kauai, Niihau, Hawaii

Now, fighting and preventing wildfires and helping the island of Maui recover from the flames top the agenda as Hawaii's Legislature returns for a new session this week. The Senate majority said in a news release it was committed to forming a fire risk task force and seeking permanent funding for the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, which is a hub for wildfire prevention and mitigation. Josh Green, a Democrat, in December asked lawmakers to appropriate $425 million for the Maui cleanup and emergency housing, and millions more to reduce statewide wildfire risk. Nakamura said the Maui fires exacerbated a problem that existed long before: the proliferation of vacation rentals around the state. “If they can’t find an affordable rental and use their skills in Hawaii, then we all lose out,” she said.

Persons: ”, Nadine Nakamura, Nakamura, Josh Green, Colin Moore, Moore, “, ” Moore Organizations: Democrat, Democrats, of Land, Natural Resources, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, Senate, Gov, University of Hawaii Locations: HONOLULU, Hawaii, Lahaina, Maui, Kula

☆ For Some Maui Fire Victims, $1 Million Payments Are Too Little, Too Soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Dan Frosch | Christine Mai-Duc | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A public memorial honors the people who died in the Lahaina, Hawaii, wildfire this summer. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesAfter Kimberly Buen learned her elderly father was killed in the August fire that burned the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina to the ground, she needed to know who was ultimately responsible. Buen diligently listened to news conferences about how the deadly fire sparked. She read about the highly flammable grasses that blanketed nearby property. Buen, who lives in Palmdale, Calif., also retained an attorney to prepare a wrongful-death lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, Maui County, the state of Hawaii and Kamehameha Schools, a local landowner, who she said needed to be held accountable for their roles in the fire.

Persons: Mario Tama, Kimberly Buen, Buen Organizations: Hawaiian, Kamehameha Schools Locations: Lahaina, Hawaii, Palmdale, Calif, Maui County

☆ Some See Maui Fire Victim Fund as Too Little, Too Soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Dan Frosch | Christine Mai-Duc | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Mario Tama, Kimberly Buen, Buen Organizations: Hawaiian, Kamehameha Schools Locations: Lahaina, Hawaii, Palmdale, Calif, Maui County

☆ Maui fires: 100 days later, 4 names remain on the Lahaina missing list. These are the people trying to find them
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Alyssa Kraus | Mike Valerio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Maui Police removed a fifth individual from the Lahaina fire missing list as recently as October. Officers tasked with finding missing persons from the inferno, or, the remains of Lahaina’s missing, are still searching the burn zone. Details concerning the three remaining people on the Lahaina fire credible missing list have not been previously reported. “Robert Owens, he was known to frequent Lahaina,” Landsiedel said. The officers within MINT carry a triple burden: coordinating Lahaina missing persons investigations, tracking identification efforts, and, ultimately, notifying family members of the dead.

Persons: Mario Tama, Lahaina’s, “, ”, Brad Taylor, Steven Landsiedel, ” Landsiedel, Lydia Coloma, Paul Kasprzycki, Robert Owens, Elmer Lee Stevens, “ Robert Owens, Landsiedel, ” Elmer Lee Stevens, Kasprzycki, Artur Babkov, CNN Babkov, Taylor, ” Taylor, I’m, Billy Graham, Steve, Tony Earles, it’s, ” Earles Organizations: CNN, NASA, Maui Police Department, Authorities, Maui Police, Maui –, Maui, Honolulu Civil, MINT, Honolulu Police Department, Billy, Billy Graham Rapid Locations: West Maui, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, Honolulu, Lahaina . Stevens, California, “, Paradise , California, Northern California, Paradise, West

☆ Hawaiian Electric delays quarterly filing due to fund for Maui fire victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Utility firm Hawaiian Electric (HE.N) said on Thursday it would be unable to submit its quarterly filing with the U.S. securities regulator on time, due to its expected contribution towards a fund to compensate victims of the deadly wildfires in Maui. Hawaii's governor Josh Green on Wednesday announced a $150 million fund that provides an option for families who have lost a loved one and those who were severely injured to receive substantial payments. Hawaiian Electric will contribute $75 million to the fund. The announcement of the initiative and the anticipated contribution require changes to the financial statements that lead to the delay, it said. Reporting by Sourasis Bose in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Josh Green, Sourasis Bose, Shounak Dasgupta, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Maui, Bengaluru

☆ How El Niño will affect the weather this winter
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Vehicles drive on the flooded Freeway 5 after an El Niño-strengthened storm brought rain to Los Angeles on Jan. 6, 2016. Lucy Nicholson | ReutersThe El Niño weather pattern is still active heading into the winter this year and it will mean the northern and far west portions of the U.S. will have a warmer-than-usual winter. El Niño, meaning "little boy" in Spanish, and La Niña, meaning "little girl" in Spanish, are opposite weather patterns driven by a change in the trade winds in the Pacific Ocean. This is the first time in four years that El Niño has been active as winter begins, according to the NOAA. While El Niño rains will alleviate ongoing droughts in some regions, it may also drive the development of drought conditions in the Pacific Northwest.

Persons: El, Lucy Nicholson, El Niño, Jon Gottschalck, Brad Pugh, Pugh Organizations: National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Rockies Locations: Los Angeles, El, U.S, Alaska, Pacific Northwest, New England, Gulf, Mississippi, Great Lakes, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana

☆ Hawaii travel rebounding following Maui wildfires, says Alaska Airlines' Ben Minicucci
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHawaii travel rebounding following Maui wildfires, says Alaska Airlines' Ben MinicucciCNBC's Phil Lebeau and Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines CEO, join 'The Exchange' to discuss Alaska's Q3 earnings miss, headwinds from the Maui fires and high oil prices, and the state of domestic flight demand.

Persons: Ben Minicucci, Phil Lebeau Organizations: Hawaii, Maui, Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines CEO

CNN —The Maui County Council has voted unanimously in favor of a resolution urging Hawaii’s governor to delay the October 8 reopening of West Maui to tourism. Deadly wildfires that broke out in West Maui in early August severely damaged the historic town of Lahaina, killing 97 people and destroying hundreds of residents’ homes. Josh Green previously announced state officials were looking to reopen West Maui beginning Sunday. Josh Green to delay plans to reopen a portion of West Maui to tourism. Green said in a statement Saturday many have asked about the right time to welcome visitors to West Maui.

Persons: Keani Rawlins, Fernandez, “, ” Rawlins, Josh Green, ” Green, Green, Kiakona, ” Kiakona, Tamara Paltin, Audrey McAvoy, Paltin, Richard Bissen Organizations: CNN, ”, Hawaii Gov, Residents, Hawaii Locations: Maui County, West Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, Maui

There are businesses still functional ... That’s a public health issue,” Koger continued, adding that there are also significant “cultural concerns” associated with the debris removal. The debris removal not only is occurring on an island in the Pacific Ocean, but Maui has no landfills certified to take hazardous waste. Cultural monitors, who are Native Hawaiians from Maui, are also accompanying the EPA and eventually the Corps during the cleanup. The Corps said plans are being worked out to move debris to a temporary site then eventually to permanent disposal sites in Maui County. Even so, Maui County Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura often hears from many anxious residents looking to return and build a new home.

Persons: ”, Cory Koger, ” Koger, Steve Calanog, King Kamehameha, ” Calanog, Micah Kamohoali’i, Wayne Tanaka, Yuki Lei Sugimura, “, Michael Casey Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, U.S . Army Corps of Engineers, West Coast ., National Park Service, Hawaii Department of Health, Corps, Information Center, Sierra Club of Hawaii, “, AP Locations: Maui, Kula, Lahaina, Paradise, California, Oregon , Colorado, New Mexico, they’re, That’s, Oregon, West Coast, Hawaii, Lahaina Hongwanji, United States, Maui County, Central Maui

Here are the key takeaways of an Associated Press investigation into the probe:WHAT DO THEY THINK HAPPENED? Investigators led by the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Maui County have declined to comment on specifics of the probe. They included a heavily charred, hollowed 4-foot-tall stump of a utility pole, two heavily burned trees and the remains of an old car tire. Photos taken after the blaze show charred foliage in the utility’s right-of-way still more than 10 feet high. The utility instead sought to shift the blame to Maui County fire officials for what it believes was their premature, false claim that they had extinguished the first fire.

Persons: ”, Balagso, couldn’t, Munro Tulloch Organizations: Associated Press, Co, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Press, AP, Electric Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Maui County

☆ How insurance companies are battered by hurricane season and climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Insurance companies are in a tough spot with this year's stronger-than-average hurricane season, while climate-related perils continue to push catastrophe losses higher. Adding fuel to the industry's woes is the higher frequency of secondary perils, such as wildfires and flooding, due to climate change. These increased occurrences have been slowly adding to primary insurers' catastrophe losses and limiting profitability. While the industry is currently in the middle of peak hurricane season, insurance stocks typically rebound when the size of the insured losses become apparent or are announced by the companies, according to Piper Sandler. Insurance stocks tend to fall initially as big hurricanes near landfall and the likely extent of damage is appraised.

Persons: Piper Sandler, Paul Newsome, Newsome, Chubb, Bob Huang, Morgan Stanley, Huang Organizations: Atlantic, . Insurance, Insurance, Allstate, American International Group, Progressive, Universal Insurance Holdings, Everest Re Locations: Florida, Maui, Hawaii, California

David Minkin, an attorney for Maui County, told Reuters that only a small portion, if any, of its land was involved in the blaze. Wildfire victims have struggled over the years to hold landowners liable, even for fires ignited on their property. Rick Linkert, a California attorney who specializes in defending wildfire cases, said it may not be easy for Wells' legal team to show negligence. They would have to demonstrate there was an accepted standard for managing grasslands and that the landowners ignored it, he said. Maui County has filed its own lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, which it blames for the fire.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Harold Wells, Rebecca Rans, Wells, Bishop, David Minkin, Rans, Jim Bickerton, Bickerton, Rick Linkert, Linkert, Pauahi Paki, Kamehameha, Tom Hals, Amy Stevens, Noeleen Walder, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Kamehameha Schools, Reuters, Honolulu Star, U.S . Forest Service, Hawaiian Electric, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Rights WILMINGTON , Delaware, Harold Wells of Arizona, Maui County, Wailuku, Guinea, California, Hawaiian, Wilmington , Delaware

☆ Maui Firefighters Took Lunch as Lahaina Blaze Seemed Dead. Then It Grew.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Christine Mai-Duc | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones Locations: maui, lahaina

☆ Maui Fire Death Toll Drops to 97 After Weeks of DNA Review
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Corina Knoll | More About Corina Knoll | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The authorities announced on Friday that they currently believe 97 people died in the Maui wildfire instead of the 115 fatalities they had been reporting for weeks, a surprising development after initial fears that many more lives had been lost in the disaster. It is the first time that the Maui death toll has dropped. In some instances, Dr. Stuelpnagel explained, forensic examiners have determined that they had multiple sets of remains for the same person. He also said that 16 of the remains that investigators had received were nonhuman. “It’s good news to have a lower number, that’s for darn sure,” Dr. Stuelpnagel said on Friday.

Persons: Jeremy Stuelpnagel, Stuelpnagel Locations: Maui, Maui County, Lahaina

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