Hawaii’s AG will name independent investigator to probe fire response

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announced Thursday that her office will launch an independent investigation into the state’s response to deadly wildfires on Maui. 

Lopez said a “third-party private organization with experience in emergency management and processes” will assess the state’s response to the wildfires, which have killed at least 111 people. The fires quickly approached the town of Lahaina, catching off guard and trapping many. 

“This will be an impartial, independent review,” Lopez said in a statement. “Having a third-party conduct the review will ensure accountability and transparency and reassure the people of Hawaii that all of the facts will be uncovered. The information collected will be used to assess the performance in emergency preparedness as we are constantly looking for ways to improve.”

The review will be a months-long effort, her office said.

“We will be taking the necessary time to follow the facts wherever they lead,” Lopez added.

Officials have come under criticism after emergency warning sirens did not sound around the town as the fire approached. Local officials said sirens, usually used to warn of tsunamis, weren’t sounded in order to avoid confusion.

“Had we sounded the siren that night we’re afraid that people would’ve gone mauka,” local emergency manager Herman Andaya said, using a word meaning inland. “And if that was the case, they would’ve gone into the fire.”

The fires completely destroyed the tourist town of Lahaina in western Maui, forcing some to swim into the ocean to escape flames. Damages have been estimated at over $5.5 billion, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The exact cause of the fires is under investigation. A group of residents filed lawsuits against the Hawaiian power utility this week, alleging that poor emergency response and aging infrastructure led to the large scale of the fires.

“Despite Defendants’ knowledge about these Red Flag and other warnings, Defendants left their power lines energized,” the lawsuit reads. “These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly, and destructive Lahaina Fire, which destroyed homes, businesses, churches, schools, and historic cultural sites.”