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